The High Court today (2 December) ordered the government to appoint an administrator at the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agency (BAIRA) to hold the election to form its executive committee.
The commerce secretary has been given four weeks to implement the order, issued by the bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf, confirmed advocate Mohammad Siddique Ullah Miah.
The court gave the order after dissolving four writ petitions, said Siddique, one of the lawyers who represented the petitioners.
On 24 October, the executive committee of BAIRA published its election schedule, in which 10 December was set as the date for the polls.
However, on 6 November, the High Court postponed the schedule for six months after hearing a writ petition.
Petitioners said according to Section 14 of the Trade Organisation Rules 1994, of the Ministry of Commerce, the existing executive committee has to form an election board and a three-member Election Appeal Board before 90 days of holding the polls to elect a new committee. However, BAIRA fixed the election date without following this rule.
Challenging the schedule, BAIRA member and Khondoker Recruiting Agency Owner Khondoker Abu Ashfaque filed a petition with the High Court. Three more petitions were filed later.
