Tension surrounds the upcoming biennial election of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA), scheduled to be held next month, as a group of outsider pro-BNP business leaders are allegedly pressuring for the selection of an unelected committee comprising their chosen members.

Anxiety grips the candidates and members of the business association over such an ill move, which they term as 'undesirable,' especially during the nation's democratic restoration journey in institutions following the July uprising.

In January, the process began for holding elections for the 24-member Board of Directors of the BSAA for the term from April 29, 2025, to April 28, 2027.

The election is set for April 13, when a total of 226 voters will choose the new committee.

By the last date of submission on March 9, a total of 28 candidates submitted nomination papers to vie for 16 director posts under the General category, while 17 candidates submitted nominations for 8 director posts under the Associate category.

In January, the process began for holding elections for the 24-member board of directors of the association for the 2025-2027 term

Two nominees submitted nominations for both categories, bringing the total number of nominees to 43.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature or nomination papers was yesterday, while the final list of candidates will be published on March 27.

Sources in BSAA said a group of outsiders, led by the recently elected president of the Chattogram Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association, SM Saiful Alam—a BNP leader—has been pushing for the selection of an unelected committee, accusing a few top leaders in the current Board, including Chairman Syed M Arif, of being associates of the ousted fascist regime.

The group has formed a shadow committee, naming former director Shahed Sarwar of Crown Navigation Co. (Pvt) Ltd as its new chairman.

To form the shadow committee, the group held meetings at the residence of Amir Humayun Mahmud Chowdhury, a pro-BNP business leader and former president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).

Amidst this situation, the BSAA Board of Directors, along with its standing committee members, held an emergency meeting on March 19.

A total of 22 Board of Directors out of 24 and 11 standing committee members who had also submitted nominations were present at the meeting.

In the meeting, BSAA Chairman Syed Arif informed attendees that he had been advised by a respectable person to complete the election process through the selection of directors instead of an election and sought opinions from those present.

Confirming this, Arif said all the Board of Directors and standing committee members at the meeting unanimously decided to elect the new Board through a fair election as per the election schedule, rather than through selection.

BSAA Vice-Chairman Shafiqul Alam Jewel, also a candidate, said such external intervention for committee selection would undermine the democratic process of choosing leadership and tarnish the country's image in the international shipping trade.

When contacted, Amir Humayun Mahmud Chowdhury said some leaders of the current board are affiliated with the previous regime.

"Though they were elected, there are questions about the previous elections. We all know how elections were held during Sheikh Hasina's regime," he said.

He alleged that these BSAA leaders had engaged in collecting excessive amounts of money from importers for issuing delivery orders.

He admitted that he had requested these leaders not to contest for at least one term and to allow the other group to run the association in an effort to bring discipline.

When asked about forming a proposed committee and the pressure for selecting the committee, Mahmud said, "I think some six to seven evil persons who ran the body previously need to be excluded, even if it is done by force."