Bar Council's 19 May election postponed over energy crisis

The Bangladesh Bar Council, a statutory body regulating the country's lawyers, has postponed its 2026 election slated for 19 May, citing the ongoing energy crisis across the country.

Executive members of the council held an emergency meeting on the night of 15 April and unanimously agreed to postpone the election due to the severe nationwide energy crisis, said a statement issued yesterday.   

The crisis could significantly hinder the election campaign of candidates contesting for the seven general seats and seven regional seats across the country, according to it.

The decision was made after carefully considering applications and requests from several bar associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association, Dhaka Bar Association, and Chattogram District Bar Association.

Earlier, on 2 April, the bar council set the election date at a meeting.

Meanwhile, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman yesterday told the Jatiya Sangsad that the government did not interfere to defer the bar council election.

He made the claim while responding to a question from Rangpur-4 MP Akhter Hossen who raised the issue after taking the floor under point of order in the parliament with Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal in the chair.

The minister also said that several associations, including the Dhaka Bar, sought the delay to align with their own election processes.

As per the requests of stakeholders, the bar council postponed the election, he added.