6 Out of 13 ISPAB EC Members Absent at Annual General Meeting!

The 22nd Annual General Meeting of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) was held on Tuesday at the Retired Armed Forces Officers Welfare Association (RAOWA) in Mohakhali, Dhaka. While general members participated spontaneously, six members of the Executive Committee (EC), who were controversially elected, were absent from the meeting.

Among them, three had already resigned due to their direct involvement with the recently ousted government following the student-public uprising. Additionally, three out of four members from the associate category—Md. Nasir Uddin, Mohammad Anwar Hossain, and Mahmudul Hasan Arif—did not attend the meeting. From the general category, the absent members included the resigned S.M. Zakir Hossain, Md. Nasir Uddin, and Mahmudul Hasan Arif.

As a result, under mounting pressure, the Executive Committee (2024-26) of ISPAB, led by President Md. Imdadul Haque, had to approve the minutes of the 21st Annual General Meeting through a voice vote, even though their term was set to end 10 months later.

During the meeting, Secretary General Nazmul Karim Bhuiyan presented the annual activity report for 2024. Treasurer Md. Asaduzzaman Sujon presented the audited financial report and the financial budget and action plan for the upcoming year. Other EC members present on stage included Vice President Anwarul Azim, Joint Secretary-2 Mohammad A. Kaiyum Rasheed, Member Affairs Director Sakif Ahmed, and Associate Category Director Fuad Mohammad Sarfuddin.

Despite the formal proceedings, general members were notably reserved and apprehensive. Many internet service providers (ISPs) voiced their concerns over the lack of proactive measures from the EC, particularly in the face of competition from mobile operators and non-licensed service providers, as well as the emergence of satellite internet. Associate category members were especially vocal, criticizing the absence of a protective financial allocation for members despite significant budget expenditures.

Prominent industry figures, such as Dot Internet’s Managing Director Muhammad Mithu Hawlader, expressed frustration, saying, "We were unable to elect you democratically, so you did not consider our concerns. However, in the future, the budget must be revised to establish a member protection fund." Several other business owners echoed similar sentiments, demanding a more member-friendly approach from the elected representatives.

Former Senior Vice President of ISPAB, Saiful Islam Siddique, emphasized the importance of compliance for the long-term sustainability of the ISP business. He stated, “We pay VAT on the BDT 500 package, but we do not collect it from customers. This expense comes from our pockets. If we all pay VAT collectively, we could demonstrate to the government the amount we contribute. It would be a matter of pride. This should be taken into consideration.”

Following detailed discussions and member feedback, the 2024 activity report and audited financial statement were approved. The appointment of an auditor for 2025 and the budget for the upcoming year were also approved.