Nomani, Sohel new DRU president, GS

Mursalin Nomani and Mynul Hasan Sohel have been elected the president and general secretary of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) respectively.

Nomani, who works at the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), bagged 635 votes while his rival candidates Kabir Ahmed Khan and Nazrul Islam Mithu got 543 and 264 votes respectively in the election held on Wednesday.

Sohel, who is from the Daily Inqilab,  got 422 votes to defeat his nearest rival Mohiuddin (383 votes).

Dipu Sarwar was elected vice-president getting 823 votes and Moinul Ahsan was elected joint secretary securing 508 votes.

Other elected office bearers are Finance Secretary Shakhawat Hossain Sumon (712 votes), Organizing Secretary Saiful Islam  (878 votes), Office Secretary Kausar Azam (806 votes), Women Affairs Secretary Marium Moni Sejuti (741) Publicity and Publication Secretary Kamaluddin Sumon (731 votes),  ICT and Training Secretary Tofajjal Hossain Ruble (792 votes ), Cultural Secretary Mizan Chowdhury (738 votes), Hospitality Secretary Mohammad Naymuddin (unopposed) and Welfare Secretary Tanvir Ahmed (664 votes) .

The elected seven members of the new DRU executive committee are Monirul Islam Millat (930 votes), Ismail Hossain Russel (772 votes), Mohsin Bepari (751 votes), Mozzamel Haque Tuhin (683 votes), Kiron Sheikh (672 votes), SM Mostafizur Rahman Sumon  (648 votes) and Ibrahim Ali (634 votes).

The DRU election voting began at 9am and continued till 5pm without any break.

A total of 1,457 votes were cast out of 1,744 voters of the country's biggest organisation of reporters.

Chief Election commissioners Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul announced the results after vote counting in the evening.

A total of 43 candidates contested for 20 posts while hospitality secretary was elected uncontested.