DHAKA: Voting for the biennial election of the Board of Directors of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) for 2015-17 term ended Saturday afternoon.

The voting started at 9:00am and continued till 5:00pm.

FBCCI election conduct committee chairman Ali Ashraf MP said the journalists that 95 percent voters cast their votes.

He commented that larger voting place could have encouraged more turn out.

However, people concerning booths said the turn out were 88.60 percent. Out of 436 voters from the chamber group, 418 cast their votes and 1,533 out of 1,766 voters from the association group franchised in the polls.

The results might be announced tonight, election conduct committee chairman Ali Ashraf added.

Three panels are contesting the polls under the banner of Swadhinata Byabsayee Parishad led by Monowara Hakim Ali, also incumbent first vice-president of the FBCCI, Unnayan Parishad led by Nitol Niloy Group chairman Abdul Matlub Ahmad, and Byabsayee Oikya Parishad led by Syed Moazzam Hossain, president of Bangladesh Indenting Agents Association.

A total of 52 directors will form the board of the country’s apex trade body. Of which, 32 directors will be elected in direct elections - 16 each from chamber groups and association bodies - while 20 other directors will be nominated from different chambers and associations of the country.

As in the previous year, lawmaker Professor Ali Ashraf became the election commissioner to hold this year’s polls.

However, the elected and nominated directors will make the president, first vice-president and vice-president among themselves for this term on May 25 and the results will be announced on May 28.

** FBCCI election underway

BDST: 1950 HRS, MAY 23, 2015
SR/RR/SMS