Bangladesh Dental Society, National Association of Registered Dental Surgeons. The organization organized a round table meeting and exchange of views on “Bangladesh Dental Society Election-2024” on 03 October 2024 Thursday at Tafajzel Hossain Manik Hall at National Press Club in Dhaka.
Interim Chief Election Commissioner of Bangladesh Dental Society – Professor Dr. Salahuddin Al Azad, Election Commissioner Dr. SM Tanveer Islam and Dr. Sifatuddin Khan were present in the said Press Conference.
Also present on this occasion were the Principal of Dhaka Dental College Prof. Dr. Parimal Chandra Mallik, Director of Dental Education of the Directorate of Health Dr. AP Shahidur Rahman, Chief Registrar of BSMMU-01 Dr. AKM Kabir Ahmed Riaz and various dental professionals of the country. Principals of College and Medical College Dental Units and their representatives and Presidents/General Secretaries of various professional organizations in Dentistry and general dental surgeons from different parts of the country.
On behalf of the Election Commission, the Chief Election Commissioner presented the main speech.
Bangladesh Dental Society, the national organization of registered dental surgeons which was established in 1977. The executive council formed in the last 2015 elections expired in 2018 but passed another 6 years on various pretexts. In the meantime, when the formation of the country started anew in the revolution of students and the people, after regaining the freedom of speech that had been suspended for a long time, the professional organizations continuously put pressure on the president and secretary general of the expiring committee for the development of the profession with renewed enthusiasm. Later, due to the activism of general dental surgeons, former Secretary General Prof. Dr. Humayun Kabir Bulbul resigned and former President Prof. Dr. Abul Qasem in his executive capacity, the latest printed constitution of the Dental Society – Section 19.4 (2nd Volume), Section-18.3 and 18.4 And taking into consideration Section-20.1 and 20.5 (3rd Clause) constituted a new Election Commission with 3 members in the circumstances and declared all branches and sub-committees to be abolished. The Election Commission consisting of Professor Dr. SM Salahuddin Al Azad as the head and Dr. SM Tanveer Islam and Dr. Sifatuddin Khan as commission members took various initiatives to reactivate the society office which had been closed for a long time and to determine the measures to be taken in the flood situation of the country.
In the meantime, Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council with the assistance of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council for preparation of the updated draft voter list completed the preparation of the list of eligible doctors to vote who will ensure their right to vote subject to fulfilling the membership conditions of the Dental Society.
Also discussed with the outgoing President and General Secretary and Treasurer and completed the preparation of the draft budget for carrying out the statement of accounts in the name of the society and completing the election.
In the meantime, as per the constitution, the election schedule has been announced on 29.09.2024 as there is an obligation to complete the election within 3 months. In order to complete the elections in a democratic process, the participants were contacted from time to time by the society office and ex-election commissioners outside. On the eve of the execution of all these works, social media and some online portals have been making negative statements about the Election Commission and trying to mislead the general dental surgeons. Although this number is very insignificant. As a result, in order to urge for a quick participatory election, the Dental Society and the profession and the Election Commission and the election process should be left out of all debates and the general dental surgeons should be included as voters. Round table meetings, press conferences and exchange meetings were organized in which representatives of various stakeholders of the dentistry profession such as BSMMU, Department of Health, Government Dhaka Dental College and all private dental colleges of the country and representatives of units and professional organizations and practitioners and medical institutions of different marginal areas of the country. Practicing dentists participated.
In the whole discussion, the participating doctors gave constructive suggestions regarding clear description, suggestions for proper election, polling place, voter travel and publication of voter list.
This is a constructive attempt to constitutionally and systematically prevent the opportunistic group from taking into account the interests of the general dental surgeon population and the large number of doctors who are enthusiastic about voting and have been out of democratic practice for a long time.
