Chittagong Bureau

Chittagong Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industries board of directors have been accused of various irregularities.

A group of general members also demanded the cancellation of the current council without a vote and new elections. This demand was given in a press conference at Chittagong Metropolitan Journalist Union conference hall on Wednesday at 3 pm. Nusrat Hossain read the written statement moderated by Women Chamber member Sadia Afrin.

According to the written statement, currently the initial membership fee of the Women's Chamber is Rs 3700 and the annual renewal fee is Rs 1900, which is not small entrepreneur friendly. Members are not given opportunities as trainers in various trades despite their qualifications. Fees are also collected from members of the chamber in the name of various trainings. Poor quality food is served during day-long training. In women trade fair, members are allotted shops in less crowded places and two shops are compulsorily blocked. Also, extra stalls, electricity and security bills are levied at fairs. For the past few years, the women entrepreneurs of other districts are not participating in the fair as the women trade fair is not friendly to women entrepreneurs, as a result of which the local entrepreneurs are decreasing.

Over the past few years, the Women's Trade Fair has been handed over to second and third parties for more money. Due to which the atmosphere of the fair is spoiled and the deposit of various activities of the members of the chamber is not paid on time. For the past few years, shops have not been opened for disabled and poor women entrepreneurs. Inspite of being a member, he constantly had to accept rude behavior and harassment by the employees of the management council. Trinamul members were not kept informed during epidemics and disasters.

A cycle of irregularities has created discrimination in various institutions and business forums, depriving common entrepreneurs. Over the years Chittagong Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industries has been run by autocratic and non-voting committees. Since its inception, CWCCI's management committee and president have been selected through the selection process. Where there is no participation of ordinary members and two people decide who will hold what position without considering their opinion. For a long time, the organization was run through arbitrariness and undemocratic methods. Due to which the Trinamool entrepreneurial women community has suffered discrimination by being deprived of the right to vote.

The past committees have been doing nepotism without giving opportunity to grassroots businessmen in this organization. In this case, women entrepreneurs were not given opportunities at the grass root level. We want to confirm the role of business-friendly Chittagong Women's Chamber and form a new committee. The committee of autocracy and irregularities in commercial organizations should be dissolved and new leadership should be established through fair elections. Membership should be simplified. We demand that the current officers of the Women's Chamber be prosecuted for corruption and that a fair and free election be held in a democratic manner to elect a worthy leadership.

In a written statement, he also said that small women entrepreneurs have been deprived of their fair rights due to the fact that certain individuals have been ruling the chamber for a long time. Therefore, the current Women's Chamber Board of Directors, elected without a vote, must resign. The Women's Chamber needs to be reformed. We would like to draw the attention of the Ministry of Commerce and Chittagong District Commissioner to say that the current board of directors of Women's Chamber should resign by September 23. If not, we will encircle the Women's Chamber building and announce the sit-in program.

Among others present at the press conference were Chittagong Metropolitan Women's Dal President Monowara Begum Moni, Women Chamber Member Shahnaz Khan, Jannatul Mawa Munni, Amena Begum, Nargis Rikta and Manwara Begum Saki were present.