Another panel comes up

Monowara Hakim Ali, the incumbent first vice-president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, yesterday announced her panel from the chamber group in the apex trade body's biennial election scheduled for May 23.

She declared her panel of 16 candidates to compete for the post of directors, at a press briefing at Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka. However, she will announce her panel, under the banner of Shadhinota Babosayee Parishad, from the association group later.

She said her panel would work to bring the bank interest rate down to a single digit; simplify tax, VAT and export-import rules; create women entrepreneurs; and develop the small and medium enterprise sector.

Along with the panel's candidates, 40 contenders will vie for 16 posts for directors of the FBCCI from the chamber group.

In addition, 37 will compete for another 16 director posts from the association group.

The elected directors, in addition to the 20 nominated directors from 20 leading chambers and associations, will select a president, first vice-president and vice-president on May 25.

Led by the elected president, the 52-member executive committee will run the FBCCI for the next two years.

Earlier on Thursday, Nitol Niloy Group Chairman Abdul Matlub Ahmad announced a panel, under the banner of Unnayan Parishad, from both chamber and association groups.

Ahmad, who has been nominated from the Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a director of FBCCI, will vie for the post of president of the apex trade body.