The government yesterday stepped in to end the row inside the FBCCI by appointing Syed Manzur Elahi as administrator and charging him to hold an election to the country’s leading trade body within 120 days.

The election of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) was scheduled for August 2007, but did not take place due to disputes among business leaders over the polls procedure.

“My first priority is to conduct a free and fair election before the expiry of the government timeframe,” said Elahi, chairman of Apex Group, adding that his target would be to hold the polls within 90 days.

The disputes in the organization came to a head when the FBCCI Electoral Arbitration Council dropped five voters of Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association from the final voters list. The BGMEA filed a case against the move.

Yesterday Elahi termed the disputes among the business community as ‘not desirable’.

He also said before conducting the polls the voters’ list might be reviewed.

The FBCCI election becomes an image issue for the business community, he said, adding, “I hope everybody will help me to conduct the election on time.”

Meantime, the BGMEA won their legal battle yesterday as the court declared the FBCCI arbitration council’s decision as illegal.

Earlier, the last board meeting of the FBCCI elected body headed by Mir Nasir Ahmed was held at the Federation Bhaban yesterday.

Addressing a press conference in Dhaka, the outgoing president said the FBCCI members will appreciate the government decision and help the newly appointed administrator.

He said government should put confidence in FBCCI.

Asked about the government’s role in providing business support, he said, “Some policy reforms have taken place in recent time, but bureaucracy is still there.”

Nasir suggested that the government should come forward to take some other steps to restore businessmen’s confidence, although it is a long-term process to recover confidence.