Elections for the 2021-2023 term executive council of Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) are underway at the Emanuel Convention Party Center in the capital in a festive atmosphere. Voting began at 10 a.m. today (Saturday). The spontaneous participation of the candidates and voters from the morning was clearly evident.
A visit to the polling station revealed that there are a total of 10 booths at the two ends of the center. Candidates are handing over their ballot numbers to the voters at the entrance. Polling agents are also active. They say ballot numbers, not names.
Speaking to polling agents, it was learned that in the first hour, 42 votes were cast in the associate category and 51 in the general category.
20 candidates are contesting in the associate category. Team Forward is contesting the election with a panel of 9. And there is another incomplete panel called. However, ballot numbers 1,4,5,10,11,14, 18,19 and 20 are circulating online on the social media of ISP members.
On the other hand, 206 voters will cast their votes to choose 4 out of 10 candidates in 4 booths. Although the number of voters is relatively low, there is a lot of competition as a candidate in this election.
Chairman of the Electoral Board Md. Nazrul Islam Babu is carrying out his duties inside the polling Center with the assistance of Abdullah H. Kafi, Managing Director, JAN Associates Ltd. and Birendra Nath Adhikari, Director, Excel Technologies Ltd. and Chief Executive Officer, Information and Communication Technology Industry Skills Development Council.
Md. Abdur Razzak, President of Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners Association, Mr. Hafeez Harun, Owner of Samia Trading and FBCCI Director and Mr. Abul Khair, Owner of National PVC Pipe Products are present at the polling booths as Chairman of the Electoral Appeal Board.
According to the rules of trade organization and the rules of association of Internet Service Providers of Bangladesh, a 13-member executive council will be elected from 20 candidates for the term of 2021-2023.
Voting will be counted immediately after the vote is taken. In this, 9 members from the general member category who got the highest number of votes and 4 members from the associate member category, a total of 13 people will be declared elected. Subsequently, 13 people elected on 13th December will be selected from among them for different port folios in the executive committee.