Staff Reporter :The election of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) will be held on March 15 and 16. A total of 4, 362 lawyers will exercise their franchise to elect a 14-member new committee for the next term (2015-16). Twenty-eight candidates divided into two panels -the Pro-Awami League Sommilito Ainjibi Samonnoy Parishad and the Pro-BNP Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum-are contesting the election for 14 posts. Besides, three independent contestants are also taking part in the election The pro-Awami League panel is called the ‘white panel’, while the pro-BNP panel is known as the ‘blue panel’. The candidates are using social media Facebook and mobile phone messages as part of campaign. They are also distributing leaflets, containing their electoral pledges to draw the voters’ attention. Incumbent President of the SCBA Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain is contesting from the blue panel, while Yusuf Hossain Humayun from the white panel is his main rival for the post of president. Yusuf Ali Akand and Mohammad Obaidul Haque Pirzada, as independent candidates, are also the contenders for the top post of the SCBA. The other independent candidate Nazrul Islam stands for the post of Vice-President. Senior lawyer Advocate Harunar Rashid is the Chief Election Commissioner of the seven-member Election Commission. Incumbent SCBA Secretary Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon is contesting from the blue panel for the post of secretary. Momtajuddin Mehedi from the white panel is his main rival.The other candidates from the blue panel are: ASM Moktar Kabir Khan and Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan (Vice-President), Shawkat Ara Begum (Treasurer), Majidul Islam Patwari and Yusuf Ali (Joint-Secretary), Anwarul Islam Shahin, Fazlur Rahim, Jasim Sarkar, Nasiruddin Khan, Mirza Al Mahmud, Rezaul Karim and Shamima Sultana (Member). The other candidates from the white panel are: Abul Khayer and Taherul Islam (Vice-President), Amir Hossain (Treasurer), Delwar Mostofa Chowdhury and Suja Al Faruk (Joint-Secretary), AKM Daudur Rahman Moni, Amit Dasgupta, Khan Mohammad Shamim Aziz, Mohiuddin Shamim, Abdul Aziz Mia, Habibur Rahman and Sabina Yasmin (Member). Presidential candidate Khandker Mahbub Hossain is also an adviser to the BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. He has been elected President of the SCBA three times so far.
