Shilpi Samity, Actors’ Equity elections held

The voting in the polls to two separate platforms of artistes—Bangladesh Chalachhitra Shilpi Samity and Actors’ Equity Bangladesh was held with much enthusiasm and security on Friday.

Balloting for the Shilpi Samity polls took place on the premises of Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) from 9:12am to 6:10pm, while the voters of Actors’ Equity Bangladesh (Obhinoy Shilpi Sangha) exercised their franchise at the polling centres set up in Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Candidates in the biennial Shilpi Samity polls vied from two rival panels—one is led by actors Ilias Kanchan and Nipun Akter, while the other is led by actors Misha Sawdagor and Zayed Khan. Actors Don Huq and Harbola contested in the polls as independent candidates.

Ilias Kanchan and Misha Sawdagar contested for the president’s post while Nipun Akter and Zayed Khan were the general secretary candidates. A total of 365 voters out of 428 cast their ballots in the polls, said chief election commissioner Pirjada Harun.

In the Actors’ Equity polls, a total of 48 candidates vied for 21 separate posts. A total of 752 members of the TV artistes’ platform were eligible to exercise their franchise in the polls held at the Shilpakala Academy with Khairul Alam Sabuj as the chief election commissioner.

Actors Ahsan Habib Nasim and Sahadat Hossain Nipu contested for the President’s post, while Rawnak Hasan and Alamgir Kabir were the general secretary candidates. Anisur Rahman Milon, Iqbal Babu, Tania Ahmed, Dilu Majumder and Selim Mahbub vied for the vice-president’s post in the polls.