Amirul Haque elected Ctg chamber president

Business leader Mohammad Amirul Haque has been elected president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) for the 2026–27 term following the formation of a new presidium by the chamber's newly elected board of directors.

The election was held today (25 May) at the World Trade Center in Chattogram under the supervision of the Election Board, according to a chamber press release.

The newly elected board later convened at the venue in the presence of CCCI Administrator and Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md Motahar Hossain, Election Board Chairman Monowara Begum and board member Md Hedayet Ullah, while the meeting was presided over by newly elected director Md Nasir Uddin Chowdhury.

Besides Amirul Haque, Md Amzad Hossain Chowdhury was elected senior vice-president, while Mohammad Masiul Alam Swapan was elected vice-president.

Amirul Haque, founder and managing director of Seacom Group, has served five terms as a chamber director and currently serves as president of the Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association and the LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh.

Over the past four decades, he has expanded Seacom Group's operations into shipping, logistics, real estate, energy, LPG, food, agriculture and retail sectors, while also serving as founder and managing director of Premier Cement Mills Ltd and previously as a director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

According to the release, Amirul Haque earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Chittagong, later completed an MBA in Leadership and Sustainability from a UK institution, and was awarded Commercially Important Person (CIP) status by the government for his contribution to the economy.

Newly elected senior vice-president Amjad Hossain Chowdhury, proprietor of Rising Computer Scale and managing director of Rising Group of Companies, previously served two terms as a chamber director.

Vice-president Masiul Alam Swapan is a businessman and sports organiser involved with several trade and sports bodies, the release said.

The chamber also announced the names of other elected directors representing different sectors of Chattogram's business community.

The chamber election was held on Saturday (23 May), when the United Business Forum panel led by Amirul Haque secured all 24 director posts, marking the return of direct voting in the chamber after more than a decade.

The election process had faced repeated disruptions since September last year, with multiple court cases leading to five separate suspensions of the polls.

On 18 May, the election board announced that voting would finally take place on 23 May.

However, two days before the scheduled election, Somomona Parishad leaders SM Nurul Haque and Azizul Haque filed another writ petition seeking a stay order on the polls.

Following the petition, a High Court bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice Abdur Rahman ordered a six-month suspension of the election on Thursday morning and issued a rule nisi.

Later that day, the government appealed against the High Court order.

The chamber judge of the Appellate Division stayed the effectiveness of the HC order until a full court hearing scheduled for 8 June, clearing the way for the election to proceed on 23 May.

The election process repeatedly faced legal disputes involving garment accessories supplier Muhammad Belal Hossain, former chamber senior vice-president SM Nurul Haque and panel member Azizul Haque.