Earlier, members of the business community on Monday elected 24 directors for the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) in the first phase of polls under a new two-tier system.

Abdul Awal Mintoo led Shilpa-Baboshayee Parishad bagged 12 director posts, Abdul Matlub Ahmad's Sammilito Oikyo Parishad got 10 while MA Rouf Chowdhury led Anti-reform Panel got two posts in the election.

In the second phase of polls, the government nominated 14 directors are likely to play vital role in determining the future leadership of the federation but sources said Abdul Awal Mintoo has got an upper hand getting support from most of them.

Mintoo led panel swept the chamber group election bagging 11 out of 12 director posts. Matlub Ahmad led panel got the remaining one post.

However, Matlub's panel dominated the association group polls securing 9 out of 12 posts. The panel led by MA Rouf Chowdhury got two while Mintoo led panel bagged one from this group, according to the unofficial results.

Ragib Ali of Moulvibazar Chamber nominated by Mintoo led panel bagged the highest 186 votes in chamber group polls.

The other unofficially elected directors from Mintoo led panel in this group are Md Rajjab Sharif of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (183 votes), Abul Kashem Ahmed of Tangail Chamber (170 votes), Md Bazlur Rahman of Narayanganj Chamber (170 votes), Mir Nasir Hossain of Faridpur Chamber (163 votes), Amjad Hossain Tajma of Bogra Chamber (160 votes), Md Abdul Wahed of Chapainawabganj Chamber (159 votes), Md Shamsul Alam of Jessore Chamber (151 votes), Kamaluddin Ahmed of Cox's Bazar Chamber (139 votes), Dewan Sultan Ahmed of Laxmipur Chamber (132 votes) and Afzal Khan of Comilla Chamber (126 votes).

The only chamber group director elected from Matlub led panel is Md Aminul Haque of Natore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (136 votes).

Abdul Matlub Ahmad of Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers' Association and his panel candidate Md Harun-or-Rashid of Bangladesh Grey and Finished Fabrics Mills Exporters' Association each bagged the highest 508 votes in the association group.

Other elected directors from Matlub led panel are Mohammad Ali of Bangladesh Re-Rolling Mills Association (490 votes), Md Afzal Hossain of Bangladesh Textile Mills Owners' Association (405 votes), Md Akhtaruzzaman Manju of Internet Services Providers' Association of Bangladesh (375 votes), Enayet Hossain Chowdhury of Bangladesh Electrical Merchandise Association (370 votes), Md Delwar Hossain of Bangladesh Refrigeration & Air-conditioning Merchants' Association (347 votes), Murshed Murad Ibrahim of Bangladesh Yarn Merchants' Association (344 votes) and Md Helal Uddin of Maize Association of Bangladesh (325 votes).

Anti-Reform Panel leader MA Rouf Chowdhury of Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners & Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (471 votes) and his panel candidate Khurshed Ali Mollah of Bangladesh Electronics Manufacturers' Association (354 votes) were also elected from this group.

The only candidate of Mintoo led panel who was elected director from the association group is Abul Quasem Haider of Bangladesh Sewing Thread Manufacturers' & Exporters' Association (395 votes).

The directors nominated by the government from the association group are Abdul Awal Mintoo of the Bangladesh Association of Banks, SM Shafiuzzaman of the Bangladesh Aushad Shilpa Samity, Qazi Monirul Haq of the Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association, Nasir A Chowdhury of the Bangladesh Insurance Association, Nurul Islam Patwari of the Bangladesh Jute Mills Association and MA Awal of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association.

The government nominated directors from the chamber group are Ebaydul Haque Chand of the Barisal Chamber, Amir Humayun Chowdhury of the Chittagong Chamber, ATM Waziullah of the Dhaka Chamber, SM Nazrul Islam of the Khulna Chamber, Abdul Hafiz Chowdhury of the Metropolitan Chamber, Lutfar Rahman of the Rajshahi Chamber and Mohiuddin of the Sylhet Chamber.

This year a total of 1,209 voters were enrolled -- 268 from the chamber group and 941 from the association group. Of them, 1,146 voters exercised their franchise. Thirty votes were cancelled by the election board.