The e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-Cab), which represents the country's fast-growing digital commerce sector with 1,700 e-commerce companies as registered members, is all set to hold its first ever election in the history of the association.
The association will be choosing its new leaders for the term 2022-24 on June 18 through an election for the first time, as the previous four two-year terms were given without one for the nine seats at the association's board.
However this time, there are a total of 31 candidates comprising members in three separate panels. The competing panels are Agragami, 'The Change Makers', and 'Oikko', all having their separate manifestos.
Composed mostly of current association leaders, the Agragami panel wants to continue leading e-Cab pursuing its ongoing efforts of building a sustainable e-commerce industry led by the current association president Shomi Kaiser, who is also the founder of Dhanshiri Digital.
E-Cab Secretary General Abdul Wahed Tomal, founder of Comjagat Technologies and Vice-President Sahab Uddin Shipon, representing the pioneering online pharmacy Diabetes Store, are also in the Agragami panel alongside Nasima Akter, who founded the Reverie Corporation and the gigantic f-commerce platform Women and e-commerce (WE) and other existing executive committee members.
On the other hand, the new members joining the panel consist of digital content and photography firm Focus Frame's Founder Ruhul Kuddus Chhotan, leading smart logistics firm Paperfly's Founder Shahriar Hasan and food delivery giant Foodpanda's Founder Ambareen Reza.
According to the current president of e-Cab, the Agragami Panel has got some new talents who are ready to contribute to the industry after their remarkable success in their own businesses, and looks forward to accomplishing efforts taken to grow the e-commerce industry to $5 billion by 2024 while creating a million jobs.
On the other hand, "The Change Makers", composed of completely new faces campaigning with the pledge of a more member-oriented e-Cab, is being led by Waseem Alim, co-founder of the pioneering online grocery Chaldal and its pharmacy wing Banglameds.
B2B e-commerce Sindabad's Co-founder Zeeshan Kingshuk, smart logistics firm e-Courier Founder Biplob Ghosh Rahul, Ciproco Computer MD Shafquat Haider, Sheba.xyz Co-founder Ilmul Haque, Clean Force Limited Founder Tashdik Habib, Keenlay.com Founder Mozammel Houqe Mridha, Hur Nusrat Founder Nusrat Lopa and Nijol Creative Abu Sufyan Nilove are also part of the nine-member panel vowing to bring change.
According to Waseem Alim, there were only 12-13 candidates for nine seats previously that led other candidates to withdraw their candidacy and over half of the members did not feel it was important to renew their membership as they could not exercise their voting rights nor felt the association was helpful for its members, which the panel vows to change.
“Oikko" - the third panel competing for the leadership of the association is being led by Abdul Aziz the chairman of Jachai.com with other panel members comprising of iXpress CEO Md Tazul Islam, SCHOPE Infotech Ltd and shodagor.com MD Arif Mohammad Abdus Shakur Chowdhury, Mensen Media CEO Tauhida Haider Reema, Nurtaj Bangladesh CEO Md Salim Shak, craftsmen Solutions partner and bikroy.com Director Mohammad Sazzadul Islam, Rapido Ltd CEO Shamdanee Tabriz, Korean mart Bangladesh Founder and CEO Md Sofaeat Mahmud Likhon.
Oikko as a panel vow of ensuring unity, transparency and equal treatment to all eCAB members.
The three panels are campaigning among 795 voters out of the 1,700 member entrepreneurs.