The long-awaited election of the Bangladesh Film Producers-Distributors Association has faced fresh uncertainty after two candidates challenged the cancellation of their nominations.
President candidate Khorshed Alam Khosru and general secretary candidate Shamsul Alam filed appeals with the election appellate division on Tuesday (July 7), seeking a review of the decision.
The two candidates said the rule used to cancel their nominations does not apply to them. They argued that the relevant provision came into effect after their nomination process. They have also challenged the decision in court.
In his appeal, Khosru said the association announced the election schedule for the 2022-2024 executive committee on March 1, 2022.
He said he submitted his nomination paper for the president post on April 18, 2022, within the deadline mentioned in the schedule. According to him, he followed all the conditions set by the election schedule.
However, on April 20, 2022, the election board chairman and members cancelled his nomination in a signed letter, citing Rule 5(5) of the association’s constitution. Khosru called the decision unreasonable.
The Ministry of Commerce published the list of 40 valid candidates for the 2026-2028 biennial election on July 5. The list did not include Khosru and Shamsul Alam, confirming the cancellation of their nominations.
The association last held its election on July 27, 2019. Legal disputes, disagreements over the voter list and administrative complications kept the organisation from arranging another election for seven years.
The election process had finally moved forward after the prolonged deadlock, but the cancellation of the two nominations has created a new dispute.
