Bar Council election on May 20

The election to Bangladesh Bar Council, the licencing and regulatory body for lawyers, will be held on May 20.

About 48,465 lawyers will elect the 14-member executive body, with equal general and regional seats, from 61 contestants, the council's Assistant Director Nazmul Ahsan told The Daily Star yesterday.

Coming for three years, the 14 in their first meeting will elect from among them a vice-chairman to work as the chief executive. They will also form other standing committees required to run the council.

The candidates are now busy campaigning making commitments including increasing benevolent funds and establishing justice and the rule of law.

Some Supreme Court lawyers say the main contest will be between two panels -- the ruling Awami League-backed Sammilito Ainjibi Samannoy Parishad (SASP) and BNP-backed Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Oikya Panel (JAOP).

Former vice-chairman and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president M Amir ul Islam is leading SASP while present vice chairman and SCBA President Khandker Mahbub Hossain JAOP.

Two other contesting panels are Ainjibi Oikya Front led by former executive member Shah Md Khasruzzaman and Ainjibi Oikya Parishad led by Md Eunus Ali Akond. Other candidates are contesting independently.

Votes will be cast from 10:00am to 5:00pm at 77 polling centres including on the SCBA and district courts' premises and at Bajitpur, Ishwarganj, Durgapur, Bhanga, Chikandi, Patia, Satkania, Fatikchhari, Sandwip, Hatia, Nabinagar and Paikgachha police stations.   

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, ex-officio chairman, will be the chief election commissioner.