Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - Leaders of different business associations, listed with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), on Saturday opposed several points of the proposed draft of 'Business Association Act 2011'.
The association leaders expressed their opinions at a round table discussion at the National Press Club in the capital Dhaka on the day.
The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) prepared a draft of the act last Friday and uploaded it on its web site and urged the businessmen to give their opinions on this within 5th of August this year.
Business leaders have however expressed their surprise at this. They said that it is not possible to go through all the points of the proposed act and give opinion so soon.
They have also expressed deep shock as it includes some points which, according to them, are simply impossible to implement.
Almost all the speakers at the round table conference urged the government to change the trend of selection of directors and let the businessmen elect all the leaders of FBCCI including its president through election.
Currently, the association leaders elect 28 directors out of 44 and the commerce ministry selects the rest 16 directors according to their expertise. Then the directors elect the president. But the association leaders demanded that all directors including president be elected through direct polls.
The association leaders also opposed the option of penalties, fixation of minimum members of any association and chamber. They urged the government to give enough time to the members to go through and think about all the points and then to seek opinions from them.
BBN/SSR/SI-31July11-10:38 am (BST)