Startup Standoff: Court Reshapes e-CAB Election Board
The High Court has reconstituted the election board for the 2025–27 executive committee of the e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB), the organization of online business entrepreneurs. The board had been formed earlier to conduct the polls.
In the reconstituted board, Motakkabir Ahmed, Deputy Secretary of the Administration Wing at the Ministry of Commerce, has been appointed as Chairman. The other two members are Md. Rezaul Karim, Deputy Secretary of the WTO Wing, and Abdul Malek, Deputy Secretary of the Administration Wing.
Additionally, the new election appeal board comprises Joint Secretary Mursheda Zaman as Chairman, along with Deputy Secretary Sharif Mostafizur Rahman and Senior Assistant Secretary Md. Mehedi Hasan as members.
However, the board has yet to assume its responsibilities, as the Chairman is currently abroad. Sources revealed that he is expected to return on September 5. Following his return, the board may convene to announce a fresh election date.
Speaking to DigiBanglaTech.news, e-CAB Administrator Muhammad Saeed Ali said, “The stay order must be withdrawn first.” He explained that although a hearing was scheduled in court last Monday, it did not take place, causing the matter to be rescheduled. “The new date will be known once the court resumes. The next course of action will depend on the court’s decision.”
Meanwhile, the administrator’s tenure is set to expire on September 10. Questions remain about how he will continue to discharge his responsibilities thereafter, as the law does not clearly specify any extension.
The e-CAB election was originally scheduled for July 26. However, on July 22, the High Court suspended voting after a writ petition was filed by a voter named Anwar Sadat, seeking a postponement.
The petition argued that the Ministry of Commerce Secretary had constituted the election board and appeal board instead of the appointed administrator, which was unlawful. Consequently, the court also stayed the formation of both boards.
Earlier, on July 20, e-CAB Administrator and Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce’s Central Digital Cell, Muhammad Saeed Ali, had announced the schedule for the 2025–27 executive committee election.
Following this, as election board chairman Deputy Secretary Torafdar Sohel Rahman sought exemption, and one of the two board members, Deputy Secretary Dr. Shahadat Hossain, was transferred, the Ministry of Commerce’s Central Digital Commerce Cell reconstituted both the election board and the election appeal board under the authority of section 18(2)(kha) of the Trade Organization Act 2022.
Earlier, on September 12, 2024, the Ministry of Commerce appointed Muhammad Saeed Ali as administrator of e-CAB under section 17 of the Trade Organization Act 2022. He was tasked with holding a free and fair election within 120 days.
On February 20 this year, the administrator announced the election schedule. Although voting was supposed to take place on May 31, the e-CAB election board postponed it in a letter issued on May 14.
A total of 36 candidates are contesting in the upcoming polls. Among them, 22 are competing under two panels—“Team United” and “Team Tiger.”
