Gulam Rabbani :
The two panels backed by the ruling Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are confident enough to win the upcoming polls of the Bangladesh Bar Council, a licensing and regulatory body for all the lawyers of Bangladesh.
Candidates of the Awami League-backed Sammilito Ainjibi Samonnay Parishad and the BNP backed Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Oikya Panel are now busy with a massive campaign in the bar associations across the country to win in the elections which is scheduled to be held on May 25 this year.
Advocate Muklesur Rahman Badal, a candidate from the Sammilito Ainjibi Samonnay Parishad, said they have already visited most of the bar associations of the country and met with the lawyers as a part of their campaign for the Bar Council Elections. He is hopeful that their panel will win all the posts in the election.
Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal, a candidate from Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Oikya Panel, is also optimistic of their triump in the election.
However, the recent unpleasant incident regarding the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election results has made somewhat apprehension of among the candidates of his panel, said Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal, adding that the result of the Bar Council election also might be manipulated in the same way.
The lawyers also campaigning through social media like facebook, SMS and handbills. Banners and festoons with photos of the candidates have been hung at the Supreme Court Bar Association and Dhaka Bar Association buildings as part of the campaign. Leaflets various assurances are being circulated among the lawyers.
A total of 34 candidates are contesting for the seven general seats and 23 candidates contesting for the seven regional seats. Although a total of 57 candidates are vying for the 14 posts of the bar council, the lawyers opined that the main contest will take place between two panels backed by the ruling Awami League and the BNP.
Advocate Shah Jikrul Ahmed, one of the candidates for the general seven seats from the pro-Awami League panel, died of a heart attack at Goplalganj town on Saturday night while he was on a campaign for the election.
Now Advocate Syed Rezaur Rahman, Advocate Md Kamrul Islam, Advocate Muklesur Rahman Badal, Advocate Shah Khasruzzaman, Advocate Md Robiul Alam Budu and Advocate Sayed Ahmed Raja are vying for the general seven seats of the Bangladesh Bar Council election this year from the Sammilito Ainjibi Samonnay Parishad.
Advocate Abdul Baten is contesting for the seat of ‘A Group’ from this panel. The others candidates from this panel are— Advocate Md Jalal Uddin Khan for the seat of ‘B Group’, Advocate Mohammad Mujibul Hoque for the seat of ‘C Group’, Advocate AFM Ruhul Anam Chowdhury Mintu for the seat for ‘D Group’, Advocate Anis Uddin Ahmed Shahid for the seat of ‘E Group’, Advocate Md Ekramul Haque for the seat of ‘F Group’ and Advocate Abdur Rahman for the seat of ‘G Group’.
Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali, Advocate Zainul Abedin, Advocate Muhammad Jasim Uddin Sarker, Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan, Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal and Advocate Mohammad Abdul Matin are vying for the general seven seats of the Bangladesh Bar Council election this year from this panel.
Advocate Mohammad Mohsin Miah is contesting for the seat of ‘A Group’ from the panel. The others candidates from this panel are— Advocate Adbul Baki for the seat of ‘B Group’, Advocate ASM Badrul Anwar for the seat of ‘C Group’, Advocate ATM Foez Uddin for the seat for ‘D Group’, Advocate Kazi Enayet Hossain for the seat of ‘E Group’, Advocate Mohammad Mainul Ahsan for the seat of ‘F Group’ and Advocate Shafiqul Islam Tuku for the seat of ‘G Group’.
Advocate Muklesur Rahman Badal said they will include an independent candidate in their panel in the vacant position of deceased lawyer Shah Jikrul Ahmed.
The last election was held on May 14 in 2018 in which lawyers loyal to the ruling Awmi League bagged 12 out of 14 seats of the Bar Council and the lawyers loyal to the BNP and Jamaat bagged only two seats.
Bangladesh Bar Council Chairman and Attorney General AM Amin Uddin on March 21 this year issued the election schedule of the Bar Council. The voting will take place from 10.00am to 5.00pm on May 25, as per the schedule.
