Bar Council election: Candidates busy with campaign across country

The main two panels of the Bangladesh Bar Council, backed by the ruling Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), are busy with a massive campaign across the country to win in the poll which is scheduled to be held on May 25 this year.

Candidates of the Awami League-backed Sammilito Ainjibi Samonnay Parishad and BNP-backed Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Oikya Panel are also campaigning through social media like Facebook, SMS, and handbills.

Banners and festoons with pictures of candidates have been hung at the Supreme Court Bar Association and Dhaka Bar Association buildings as part of the campaign. Leaflets containing various assurances are being circulated to the lawyers.

A total of 34 candidates are contesting for the seven general seats, and 23 candidates are contesting for the seven regional seats.

Although a total of 57 candidates are vying for the 14 posts of the Bangladesh Bar Council, a licensing and regulatory body for all the lawyers of Bangladesh.

The lawyers opined that the main contest will take place between two panels backed by the ruling Awami League and 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 in Goplalganj town 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 and Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal are confident about the winning of their respective panels.

Mr 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 Awami 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 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on May 25, as per the schedule.

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