Poll venue shifted to avert unwanted situation
A group of outsiders led by a few BNP leaders allegedly announced their intent on April 6 to resist the upcoming biennial election of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA), scheduled to be held in Chattogram on April 13.
The group, under the platform of Boisommer Shikar Byebsayi Forum (Discriminated Businessmen Forum), made the announcement during a protest rally in front of Mecca Madina Tower in the port city's Agrabad Commercial Area around 11:30am. The tower houses the BSAA office.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Speakers at the rally demanded the cancellation of the election, accusing some candidates—including incumbent BSAA Chairman Syed M Arif and Vice Chairman Shafiqul Alam Jewel—of being cohorts of the ousted fascist regime.
Following the rally, the group also went to the BSAA office and ordered officials to cancel the scheduled election, alleged BSAA President Syed M Arif.
Several BSAA leaders claimed that, apart from two or three individuals, most of those who gathered at the rally were not involved in the shipping business.
To avert any unwanted incidents, the BSAA Election Board has decided to shift the election venue from Hotel Agrabad to Radisson Blu Chattogram Bay View. BSAA Election Board Chairman Tareq Kamal confirmed the venue change.
BNP Chattogram city unit member Moshiul Alam Swapan, also the proprietor of AA Shipping, who spoke at the rally, told The Daily Star that they protested because they want the election to be held after updating the existing voter list.
He alleged that several existing BSAA leaders, who were loyal to the ousted regime, have been leading the board for the last couple of terms through election engineering.
When asked why the rally mostly included outsiders, Swapan said members of different port-related workers' organisations were present, as the shipping business is linked to the port.
BSAA leaders alleged that BNP city unit Joint Convener SM Saiful Alam and member Swapan have been pressuring them to cancel the election and instead install an unelected committee comprising their chosen members.
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