Khulna District Bar Association elections postponed

Khulna Bureau :

The Khulna District Bar Association elections have been postponed. The elections were scheduled to be held on November 30. The postponement of the elections before that created anger and tension among the Khulna Bar lawyers.

Bangladesh Lawyers Council nominated Advocate Md. Abul Khair and Advocate Sheikh Zakirul Islam Parishad held a press conference at 4 pm at the Khulna District Bar Association meeting.

And the press conference was held by the candidates of the independent lawyers panel Akhter Jahan Ruku and Nihit Kanti Ghosh Parishad.

The candidates of both the councils alleged that after the political change on August 5, all the members of the Parishad, former president of the association and president of Khulna Sadar Thana Awami League Saiful Islam, fled.

On August 6, a five-member ad hoc committee was formed with pro-BNP lawyer Abdullah Hossain Bachchu as the convener and Nurul Hasan Ruba as the member secretary. It is customary for the association to hold its annual elections on November 30 every year and take office on the first day of the new year.

But the ad hoc committee, instead of holding elections in 2024, extended their term in the general meeting until November 30, 2025 on various pretexts. The formation of the commission and the schedule were announced for the 2026 elections.

They did not sell any nomination papers on October 30, the scheduled day for the sale of nomination papers. At that time, it was said that the forms could not be distributed due to clerical mistakes.

They would be available on November 2. But since that morning, the candidates became agitated after not receiving their nomination papers.

In the meantime, the ad hoc committee held an emergency meeting at 2 pm in Hall No. 1 of the association building and announced the postponement of the elections until March 31 next year. They announced that they would continue the activities of the association.

At the press conference, Lawyers Council President Shah Alam said, “BNP, sensing a rout in the elections, has maliciously sabotaged the vote.
We gave the Election Commission time until 3 pm on Monday.

If they fail to hold the election ceremony at the announced time, we will be forced to take strict action with our lawyers.

‘ The press conference was attended by presidential candidate Advocate Abul Khair, general secretary candidate Advocate Sheikh Zakirul Islam, Advocate Monirul Islam Panna, Advocate Shafiqul Islam Liton, Advocate Abdul Mannan, Advocate Abu Yusuf Molla, and Advocate Lutfar Rahman.

Independent panel presidential candidate Advocate Akhter Jahan Ruku said at the press conference, ‘Awami League leader Saiful Islam used to rig the elections by winning the elections. He would seize power. But today BNP wants to cling to power without voting.

The meaning of extending the term until March next year is that BNP hopes to come to power in the national elections before that. After that, they will take over the bar without voting and loot crores of taka of income.

I have set a deadline of 3 pm on Monday. Then we will be forced to announce a new ad hoc committee and lock the EC committee room.’