FBCCI Election Path Opens with Rule Revisions, Small Traders Oppose Nominated Directors

The pathway to holding elections for the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), which have remained stalled for nearly two years, is finally opening up with proposed amendments to the Trade Organization Rules.

However, sharp differences have emerged among business leaders over several provisions in the draft rules, particularly the inclusion of 12 nominated directors on the FBCCI board and a clause limiting an entrepreneur to a single vote, regardless of the number of business entities they own.

While a faction representing small traders and reform-minded business leaders advocates direct voting for all board positions, major chambers and sector-specific trade associations strongly support retaining the provision for nominated directors.

Despite these differences, all sides agree on the urgency of finalising the rules to facilitate early elections and restore elected leadership to the business community.

Following the political transition on August 5, 2024, the interim government introduced significant changes to the Trade Organization Rules. In response to persistent demands from business leaders, the newly installed BNP-led government recently published a draft of the revised Trade Organization Rules-2025 on its official website.

Public feedback and written recommendations on the draft have been invited, with July 25 set as the deadline for submission.
The draft removes the mandatory requirement for direct voting for all executive committee or board positions in trade organisations, including the posts of president and vice-presidents.

Under the draft, the FBCCI board�"the country's apex trade body�"will expand from 46 to 48 members with the addition of two vice-president posts. It also stipulates that a member will be entitled to cast only one vote in elections, regardless of the number of registered companies or business entities they own.

A section of business leaders has strongly objected to the inclusion of 12 nominated directors on the FBCCI board and the proposed process for selecting them.

Before the political transition on August 5, 2024, the FBCCI board comprised 80 members. During the interim government, the board size was reduced to 46. Under the new draft, two additional vice-president positions have been created, bringing the total board size to 48.

Of the 48 board members, excluding the president, senior vice-president and four vice-presidents, 30 of the remaining 42 director positions will be filled through direct elections�"15 from the Chamber Group and 15 from the Association Group.

The remaining 12 positions will be filled by nominated directors. Of these, 10 will come from the Chamber and Association groups, with five nominees from each, while the remaining two will be nominated from women chambers and women associations�"one from a women chamber and one from a women association group.

For the 12 nominated director positions, the newly elected board will submit a list of 22 candidates to the government. The government will then make the final selection and approve the 12 nominated directors.

Mir Nizam Uddin Ahmed, former vice-president of FBCCI and convener of Sammilito Babosayi Parishad, said direct elections should be mandatory for all positions in the FBCCI.

“Nominated individuals do not remain accountable. We want representatives elected directly through voting for all positions, and the governance of trade bodies handed back swiftly to genuine businessmen,” he said.

Taskeen Ahmed, president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the issue of limiting an entrepreneur to a single vote required careful consideration.

“A company holds membership in a trade organisation, not an individual. If an entrepreneur owns 10 or 20 distinct companies, each company possesses a separate legal entity. In light of this, restricting an entrepreneur to a single vote across all companies requires careful consideration as to how realistic and logical it is,” he said.

Abdul Haq, a former director of FBCCI, said organisations involved in unethical practices such as vote buying and selling should be identified and rendered inactive.

“Such incidents bring disgrace to the entire business community and are deeply embarrassing for the government,” he said.