The election to the Board of Directors of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce of Industry (FBCCI) for the 2023-2025 term was held on Monday in a festive manner with a high voter turnout at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the capital, reports BSS.

The voting started from 9:30 am continued till 4:30 pm without any break.

Two other election board members Md Shamsul Alam and KMN Manjurul Hoque were present at the briefing.

Matin said out of the total valid voters of 1,954, some 1,746 voters cast their votes with a turnout of 89.35 percent.

Asked when the results will be published, Matin said that they would count the votes manually and then reveal the results adding that it might take some hours.

During the day-long voting, FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin said that the election to the country's apex trade body was held in a free, fair manner and festive mood.

He said since there were no voting in the last couple of FBCCI elections due  to the pandemic, Jashim said the FBCCI voters were very happy to cast their votes this time.

Expressing satisfaction at the huge voter turnout, the FBCCI president said  during his tenure, he tried to deliver his best to serve the country's business community.

According to the FBCCI, a total of 34 directors -- 17 from the chamber group and 17 from the association group -- have already been selected as directors for the fresh term out of the total director posts of 80 as per the organogram of the country's apex trade body.

Some 23 director aspirants from the chamber group has already been elected unanimously as some 23 nominations were submitted against the post of 23 directors from the chamber group.

On the other hand, some 49 candidates from the association group vied for the post of 23 directors in the FBCCI polls. Out of the total aspirant candidates, some 23 candidates contested for the post of directors from the Baboshayi Oikya Parishad Panel, 23 candidates from the Sammilito Baboshayi Parishad Panel and three aspirants as independent candidates.

The election took place only in the association group to elect 23 directors.

In the election, Mahbubul Alam, the representative of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, contested from the panel named Sammilito Oikko Parishad and Mir Nizam Uddin Ahmed, a representative of the Bangladesh Electrical Association, contested from a panel named Sammilito Baboshayee Parishad.

As per the rules of the FBCCI, the next president will come from the chamber group. Mahbubul Alam is representing from the chamber group.

Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul