The government today extended the tenure of the present board of directors the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) by three months until August 18 this year.

The tenure of the current committee has been extended because of a delay in the start of process of election because of the upcoming month of Ramadan and a business summit, the commerce ministry in a letter to the FBCCI.

The apex chamber is going to hold a three-day 'Bangladesh Business Summit' from March 11 in Dhaka, marking its 50th anniversary.

Citing the issues, the FBCCI, in a letter on January 26, urged for extension of tenure of the current board by six months.

As per the schedule, the election for the tenure of 2023-24 was supposed to take place in April, said Md Jashim Uddin, president of the FBCCI.

If the election schedule is declared now, directors will become election-focused while officials of the trade body will have to become busy with preparation of voter lists and other materials, which will affect preparation for the summit, he said.

Besides, the Ramadan is going to start next month, he added.

Against this backdrop, the FBCCI's present board demanded for an extension of tenure, he said. 

Early this month, the apex trade body formed an election board, headed by A Matin Chowdhury, managing director of Malek Spinning Mills Ltd, as chairman, to oversee the FBCCI election for the tenure of 2023-24.

The panel was formed as the tenure of the current committee was supposed to end on May 19.

As such, a new committee was supposed to take charge on May 20. 

Now, following the extension, the election is likely to take place in July, said Jashim Uddin.

The commerce ministry said a three-member election board has to be formed 90 days before the election. 

The election board will need to declare election schedule 80 days ahead of the poll.

The existing committee will have to handover the charge to the new board of directors 15 days before the expiry of its tenure, according to the commerce ministry letter.