The Ministry of Commerce has suspended the Bangladesh Packaging and Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPAMEA) election over allegations of violations of trade organization rules, just days before voting was scheduled to take place.

In a directive issued on Tuesday, the ministry said the election would remain on hold until complaints are resolved by the arbitration tribunal of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).

The election process had already seen 21 of the 27 board positions filled unopposed, including six vice presidents and 15 directors. Voting for the president’s post and five director positions from the Chattogram region was scheduled for Saturday.

The dispute stems from complaints filed by presidential candidate Jamil Ahmed and director Mohammad Belal, who alleged that some candidates were declared eligible despite exceeding the allowable consecutive terms under trade organization rules. They also claimed that loan defaulters had been included in the list of candidates.

Although the BPAMEA Election Appeal Board rejected the complaints, the Commerce Ministry reviewed the matter and directed the complainants to seek arbitration through the FBCCI, while suspending the election process until a final decision is reached.

Presidential candidate Md. Shahriar criticized the decision, alleging that efforts were being made to disrupt the election process and claiming that the candidates facing allegations were not given an opportunity to present their case during the ministry’s hearing.