BNP-backed lawyers sweep SCBA polls
Once again, pro-BNP lawyers have gained control of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) by winning eight posts, including those of president and secretary, out of 14 posts in the SCBA election. BNP leaders advocate Zainul Abedin and barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon have been elected president and secretary of the association, respectively, for 2017-18.
The Awami League (AL)-backed lawyers have got six posts including those of vice-president and treasurer. The two elected vice-presidents are pro-BNP lawyer Umme Kulsum Begum Rekha and pro-AL lawyer Md Ozi Ullah.
Md Rafiqul Islam Hiru was elected treasurer, while two assistant secretaries are pro-BNP lawyer Shamima Sultana Dipti and pro-AL lawyer Md Shafiqul Islam.
The elected pro-BNP members are Sk Tahsin Ali, Ayesha Akter, Md Hasibur Rahman and Mausumi Akter. The pro-AL lawyers are Md Habibur Rahman Habib, ABM Noor A Alam Uzzal and Cumar Debul Dey.
The two-day election was held at the SCBA auditorium on March 22 and 23 in Dhaka.
A total of 3, 928 voters out of 5,081 members cast their ballots, making up for more than 77 per cent of the votes, said AY Mashiuzzaman, coordinator for the election sub-committee.
Zainul Abedin became the new president with a margin of 33 votes. He bagged 1,928 votes, while Abdul Matin Khasru, former law minister and AL law secretary, got 1,895 votes.
Mahbub Uddin Khokon, re-elected to the post of secretary, got 70 more votes than his rival Rabiul Alam Budu, general secretary of the Bangabandhu Ainjibi Parishads Supreme Court branch.
Khokon got 1,916 votes, against Budus 1,846. A total 31 candidates competed for seven secretary and seven executive-member posts.
