BMA election today

Election to Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) 2012 will be held today amid the two major contesting panels accusing each other of misbehaviour and issuing threats.
The panels are pro-Awami League Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip) and pro-BNP Doctors' Association of Bangladesh (DAB), both pledging to, among others, develop medical studies, public health services and medical research.
“Awami League leaders and activists tore down our posters and banners in Rajshahi on Tuesday night,” alleged Dr AKM Azizul Haque, president aspirant from DAB.
Dr Iqbal Arslan, secretary general aspirant from Swachip, said, “DAB followers tried to set a banner over our banner before Jatiya Press Club and threatened our supporters.”
Dr Alauddin Sheikh, the election commission president, said the issues had been solved through discussions with both panels.
A total of 32,892 voters, 13,338 in Dhaka, will cast their votes at 67 BMA branches across the country from 8:30am to 5:00pm to elect a 41-member central committee to run BMA for the next two years.
Optical Mark Reader machines will be used in four branches -- Dhaka Chittagong, Comilla and Mymensingh -- while votes will be cast manually in the rest.
Dr Mahmud Hasan is contesting for the president post from the Swachip panel while Dr AZM Zahid Hossain is contesting for the secretary general post from the DAB panel.