Attempt to create instability by spreading confusion in Motaleb Plaza: Akhtar Hamid Pawan demands fair and participatory elections
The current ad hoc committee president, Khondaker Akhtar Hamid Pawan, has strongly condemned and protested the attempt to create an unstable situation in the market by spreading misleading information about the elections of Motaleb Plaza Shop Owners Association in Shahbagh, one of the main technology markets in the capital. At the same time, he has demanded that a completely neutral and participatory fair election be organized by avoiding all hostility.
Saturday, June 20, 2026. He made this demand at an emergency press conference organized at the association’s office in Motaleb Plaza.
It was informed at the press conference that after the political change of August 5, the top leaders of the previous committee of Motaleb Plaza went into hiding. This created severe administrative stagnation and leadership crisis in the market. To deal with this emergency situation and protect the interests of ordinary traders, a new ad hoc committee was formed with Khandaker Akhter Hamid Pawan as the president and Shah Alam Bepari as the general secretary.
However, a faction of the former committee has been trying to create chaos in the market by claiming that this committee is ‘illegal’. Finally, the acting president of the former committee, Mahbubur Rahman Bachchu, filed a writ petition (Memorial No. 7177/2026) in the High Court seeking elections. The High Court, taking cognizance of the said writ petition, directed the 3rd respondent (Inspector General of Police), 4th respondent (Director General, Department of Labor) and 5th respondent (Director General, Trade Union) to dispose of the application to conduct the elections as per the constitution of the Motaleb Plaza Shop Owners Association.
This court order did not give the responsibility of conducting the elections to any specific party, but rather asked to dispose of the application as per the law and constitution. However, Mahbubur Rahman Bachchu is deliberately spreading the news that the court has ordered him or his committee to conduct the election. Through this, he is misleading the general traders and law enforcement agencies and creating a provocative environment in the market.
The written complaint filed by the current ad hoc committee with Shahbagh Police Station states that on May 3, 2026, a group of outsiders and vested interests led by Mahbubur Rahman Bachchu came to the market and declared the leaders of the current committee as ‘undesirable’. During this time, they threatened to forcefully close the market and tried to create unrest by making provocative statements. In the wake of this incident, written complaints and counter-complaints have been filed by both parties with Shahbagh Police Station.
The general traders of this one of the largest mobile and gadget markets in the country are currently living in extreme anxiety and worry. They are fed up with the long-standing culture of power struggle, extortion and political influence. Several ordinary traders, who did not wish to be named, said that they do not want to get involved in any dispute between any party; they just want a peaceful environment for doing business.
Akhtar Hamid Pawan’s statement at the press conference:
“We do not want any kind of instability or chaos in Motaleb Plaza. Those who are trying to take advantage of the wrong and misleading interpretation of the directives of the Honorable High Court should be identified and brought to justice. We want a free, fair and impartial election to be held with the participation of all parties, through which the traders can choose their real representatives.”
The leaders of the ad hoc committee have sought urgent intervention from all the administrations and law enforcement agencies concerned to resolve this crisis quickly, so that peace and a fair business-friendly environment can be restored quickly in this important commercial center of the country.
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