Shamim Islam names acting president of BTMA

Mohammad Shamim Islam, vice-president of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), has been appointed acting president of the organisation in the absence of its president, Shawkat Aziz Russell. The BTMA disclosed the information on Tuesday.

According to BTMA sources, Russell went on leave on October 10, following which Shamim Islam assumed the responsibilities of acting president on October 11. The BTMA and various government departments were informed of the development at the time. However, the matter was not made public until recently.

 Following a court order sending Russell to jail on November 1, the association publicly disclosed the appointment on November 2.

In a notification, the BTMA stated that its incumbent president, Shawkat Aziz Russell, would remain on leave from October 11 to December 10. During this period, Vice-President Mohammad Shamim Islam would discharge the responsibilities of acting president in accordance with Article 63 of the association's constitution.

Mohammad Shamim Islam is the managing director of Jamuna Group and Jamuna Hi-Tech Spinning Mills Limited.

The BTMA notification further stated that Shamim Islam had immediately assumed the responsibility of overseeing the association's activities during the president's absence.

Earlier, on Sunday, a court ordered Shawkat Aziz Russell, son of late Partex Group founder chairman MA Hashem, to be sent to jail in a corruption case involving the allocation of plots under the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Purbachal Residential Project. Russell was sentenced to 14 years in prison in the case.

He surrendered before the court through his lawyer and sought bail pending an appeal. Following the hearing, the court rejected his bail petition and ordered that he be sent to jail.

Shawkat Aziz Russell is the president of the BTMA. He has been vocal about various demands of the business community, particularly issues relating to gas and electricity shortages, since the tenure of the interim government. His outspoken remarks have frequently gone viral on social media.