The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the country’s apex business body, has been operating without elected leadership for nearly 20 months, raising concerns among business leaders over the absence of effective representation during a period of mounting economic challenges.
The organization is currently being run by an administrator appointed by the Ministry of Commerce after elections remained stalled due to unresolved amendments to the Trade Organization Rules. Although routine administrative work continues, business leaders say the absence of an elected board has weakened the private sector’s ability to negotiate with the government on critical issues including inflation, high lending rates, tax and VAT burdens, and the ongoing energy crisis.
Business leaders said the economy has remained under severe pressure in recent years, with inflation hovering around 9 percent and bank lending rates climbing to 14–15 percent, making investment and business expansion increasingly difficult.
Industrial production has also been disrupted by persistent gas and electricity shortages, while many businesses continue to face difficulties opening letters of credit (LCs) for importing raw materials. Despite rising operational costs, entrepreneurs say tax and VAT pressure continues to increase.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has further complicated the situation, prompting concerns that the lack of strong leadership within FBCCI is negatively affecting the country’s overall business environment.
Political changes following the mass uprising of 2024 triggered instability within FBCCI. Amid growing pressure from members demanding the resignation of the board, then-president Mahbubul Alam stepped down. The Ministry of Commerce subsequently dissolved the board on September 11 and appointed Bangladesh Competition Commission member Md. Hafizur Rahman as administrator.
Although he served for about a year, the election could not be completed within the stipulated timeframe. After the post remained vacant for around one and a half months, the government appointed Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Md. Abdur Rahim Khan as the new administrator in November last year.
Despite instructions to complete the election within 120 days, six months have already passed without any clear election roadmap.
FBCCI currently represents 401 commodity-based trade organizations and 83 district and specialized chambers across the country. Leaders from these organizations participate in FBCCI elections, and the ongoing deadlock has also delayed voting processes in several affiliated trade bodies.
Former FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain expressed concern over the prolonged absence of elected leadership.
“The federation is an organization of both small and large businesses. It negotiates to protect their interests. Since there has been no committee for a long time, traders are losing their platform to speak,” he told the media.
“It is unfortunate that the apex business organization has remained without a board for 20 months. The Trade Organization Rules should be amended quickly and elections held in the greater interest of the country,” he added.
Questions over the leadership structure of FBCCI have persisted for years, with critics alleging that ruling parties traditionally backed preferred candidates for top posts.
During the Awami League government, several FBCCI presidents — including Sheikh Fazle Fahim in 2019 and Md. Jasim Uddin in 2021 — assumed office without elections. The last competitive vote in the association category was held in 2023, while Mahbubul Alam became president uncontested from the service sector.
Following the political transition, members who had protested against the previous board formed the FBCCI Anti-Discrimination Reform Council and proposed a series of reforms, including reducing the number of nominated directors and shrinking the size of the board.
The revised Trade Organization Rules, finalized in May last year, reduced the size of the FBCCI board from 80 members to 46. Under the new structure, nominated directors were reduced from 34 to 12.
According to the revised rules, the president in the first election under the new system would come from the Association Group, while the senior vice president would be elected from the Chamber Group.
The rules also introduced a provision limiting directors to a maximum of two consecutive terms, a clause that became a major source of controversy. Several business leaders who became ineligible under the new provision challenged the rules in the High Court, effectively stalling the election process.
Former FBCCI auxiliary committee member Abul Kashem Haider criticized the delay in resolving the issue.
“We removed dictatorship from the federation for improvement, but now the organization has become leaderless,” he said.
“The Trade Organization Rules could be amended in a single day. The finance and commerce ministries are fully aware of the issue, yet the process is moving slowly,” he added.
FBCCI administrator Abdur Rahim Khan said the revised rules would be published on the ministry’s website this week for stakeholder feedback before finalization.
“Once the revised rules are finalized, there will be no further obstacles to holding the elections,” he said.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
