Commerce ministry suspends BASIS auxiliary committee

The Ministry of Commerce has suspended all activities of the newly formed auxiliary committee of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), amid ongoing disputes over the trade body’s governance and election process.

The suspension was ordered through an official notification issued on Monday, signed by Deputy Secretary Chowdhury Samia Yasmin of the Commerce Organisation-2 branch.

According to the notification, all operational activities of the auxiliary committee formed under BASIS Memo No. 10636/26, dated September 22, have been suspended until further instructions.

Copies of the directive were sent to the additional secretary of the Commerce Ministry serving as the BASIS administrator and BASIS Head of Service Jannatul Ferdous.

The auxiliary committee was formed on September 22 to assist the administrator in arranging fresh elections and managing the association’s day-to-day affairs. Its activities were suspended just six days after its formation.

The move comes after a period of uncertainty at BASIS, including the cancellation of two election schedules, the resignation of an earlier support committee and an administrative deadlock that led to the appointment of a government administrator from the Commerce Ministry.

The latest decision has raised further uncertainty over the election process and the future management of the country’s leading IT industry trade association.

Following the formation of the support committee, criticism emerged on social media over its composition. Some groups alleged that people considered close to or supportive of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina had been included in the committee.

The Nationalist ICT Forum, a pro-BNP organisation, also submitted an application to the Commerce Ministry seeking cancellation of the committee.

BASIS general members and technology industry leaders have called for a quick resolution of the administrative issues to ensure a transparent election process and facilitate the transfer of authority to an elected executive board.