Staff Correspondent

A group of businessmen put forward 8-point demands to reform the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) claiming that the apex trade body has failed to fulfill the expectations of the country’s business community.

Under the banner of ‘Anti-Discrimination Reform Parishad’ (ADRP), the businessmen placed the demands at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity today.

Coordinator of the parishad Zakir Hossain Nayon read out the writing speech at the press conference while coordinators Abul Kashem Haider, Gais Uddin Chowdhury Khokon and Md. Zakir Hossain were present.

They said that election system of FBCCI should be changed to bring dynamism in the activities of the country’s apex trade body. President, Vice-Presidents and directors of the FBCCI should be elected through direct ballot, they said, adding that the existing directors’ nomination system should be abolished side by side the number of directors should be trimmed down.

During the last one-and-a-half decade, the businessmen alleged said the FBCCI leaders failed to control the prices of essential commodities. The apex trade body leaders also failed to control market syndicate as they were busy to make their own fortune through appeasing the government, they added.

They said small and medium traders were deprived of the FBCCI’s cooperation for a long time.

The FBCCI is comprised of 81 chambers and 382 associations. A number of 2,230 people can vote. They can elect 32 posts out of 52, the rest are nominated, according to the current system. These elected and nominated directors elect the FBCCI’s president and two presidents.