What is ABBEA Mission/Vision Constitution Bylaws CECBoard of Directors

American Association of Bangladeshi Engineers and Architects (AABEA)
BY-LAWS of AABEA
 

BY-LAW 1:

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1:

The local chapter President shall approve the membership application provided the applicant is qualified as per Section 1 & 2 of Article 4 of the AABEA Constitution.  In special circumstances or in case any dispute he may refer the membership application to the CEC for approval.

Section 2:

All general members of AABEA shall have equal rights and privileges as stated in this constitution and shall have the right of voting in the Association affairs. Life members and members who retain their power of voting are eligible for serving on committees. General members may initiate consideration of Constitutional amendments by petition as prescribed in the Constitution and in these Bylaws.

General members shall receive without additional fee the Association’s newsletter and any other publications.

General members shall receive prior notice of all general membership meetings, convention and special technical conferences intended for the general membership and sponsored by or under the auspices of the Association, except for business meetings of the CEC/EC or standing committees/Ad-Hoc committees/Subcommittees.

General members may attend and participate in all Association technical meetings, conferences, symposia, and business meetings, provided the prescribed registration charges, if any, have been paid.

Annual AABEA dues and fees become due each January 1.  To maintain membership/associate membership in AABEA and exercise its privileges, the member/associate member must remit all AABEA dues and fees in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws.

The Honorary Members shall have the rights and privileges of Members except the right to vote and to serve in an elective capacity.  They may serve in appointive capacities within the Association.

BY-LAW 2:

LOCAL CHAPTERS

Local Chapters of AABEA shall be formed according to Article 15 of the Constitution.

A prospective member/associate member shall become a member/associate member of the AABEA through the Local Chapter of his/her geographic location.  If a Local Chapter does not exist in the geographic location of the prospective member/associate member, then he or she shall become a member/associate member of the AABEA through the Local Chapter nearest to his geographic location.

The EC shall be responsible for the day to day operation of the Local Chapter, such as raising of funds, its budget and expenses, membership database of the Chapter, arrangement of technical and other events, and all other activities related to the Local Chapter as permitted by the AABEA Constitution and Bylaws.

To increase the professional activities of a Local Chapter, it may participate/collaborate with corresponding Professional Associations in a local level as long as such participation/ collaboration is mutual and do not, in any form or manner contradict the AABEA Constitution, its Bylaws, and policies.

The Local Chapter shall inform the CEC in writing the existence of such collaborations.

In January of each year, each Local Chapter Treasurer shall transmit to the CEC Treasurer an Income/Expense statement for the previous calendar year.  This statement shall cover itemization of all income and expenses of the Chapter and shall be used by the CEC Treasurer for tax return purposes.

BY-LAW 3:

DUES AND FEES

Section 1:

AABEA annual membership period shall be January 1 to December 31st of each year and fee is nonrefundable.  Membership fee shall be due on the first day of each year and shall be paid within 31^st December except election year.  In election year, the cut-off date shall be 31^st October.

Section 2:

Individuals not paying the membership dues by the cut-off date of the membership year shall cease to exist as a member/associate member and shall not be eligible to participate in the election of that year.  A member of the CEC/EC shall cease to retain his/her position in the committee as well as membership of the Association if he/she does not pay the membership dues by the same cut-off date of the membership year.

Section 3:

The general members of the Association shall be informed of the cut-off date by the respective EC not less than one (1) month in advance of the cut-off date through bulletins, newsletter, and/or general mailings.

Section 4:

The amount of annual membership fee shall be fixed by the AABEA Board of Directors.  The annual membership fee will be same throughout North America in a given year.  A standard membership application form shall be adopted by all local chapters as approved by the CEC.

Section 5:

Local Chapters shall contribute twenty percent of the money collected as membership fee to the CEC.  This money will be used to cover the expenses of the parent organization.  The remaining money collected as membership fee will stay with the Local Chapter to cover its own expenses.  The EC shall also transmit annually a copy of the updated membership list of the Chapter to the CEC. The Board may change the percentage of contribution of the local chapter if required.  The Local Chapter shall transmit the specified CEC share on quarterly basis.

BY-LAW 4:

COMMITTEES

Section 1:

All standing committees shall be appointed by the CEC and EC respectively.  The standing committees shall be appointed to carry out specific tasks of the Association as allowed in the Constitution and Bylaws.  The standing committees of AABEA listed here shall report directly to the CEC and EC through their appointed respective Chairpersons.

Section 2:

The standing committees shall be:

• Membership Committee

• Professional Advancement Committee

• Fund Raising Committee

• Publication Committee

• Professional Assistance and Job Search Committee

• Constitution and Bylaws Committee

Any Other Committee deemed necessary by the CEC/EC, which shall be called the Ad-Hoc Committee or Subcommittee.  The President/ EC is not authorized to dissolve any such committee formed in the general meeting by the general members.

Section 3:

Each of the standing committee, ad hoc committee, or subcommittee shall consist of a chairperson and a minimum two members.

BY-LAW 5:

RESIGNATION AND VACANCIES

The President of the CEC and EC may resign by issuing a letter to the CEC and EC respectively.  Any other member of the CEC, EC, Board, standing committee, ad hoc committee, or subcommittee may resign by notifying in written to the President of the CEC or EC as deems to be appropriate.  Once the resignation is accepted the member who just resigned shall formally hand over his/her responsibilities and properties of AABEA to a person nominated by CEC/EC within thirty days of the acceptance of the resignation.

Vacancies for the position of the Secretary, Treasurer, in the CEC/EC office shall be filled by a CEC/EC member in a properly called CEC/EC meeting on the basis of decision of the majority CEC/EC members. Vacancy caused by a CEC/EC member shall be filled from general membership appointed by the CEC/EC.  Vacancy caused by the President of the CEC and EC shall be filled by the CEC President Elect and the EC President Elect respectively. Vacancy caused by the CEC/EC President Elect shall only be filled by a subsequent election.

BY LAW 6:

ELECTIONS

Section 1:

The AABEA administrative year shall begin January 1.  All elected and appointed officers shall begin their terms on that date and serve the prescribed term.

Section 2:

The duration of service for the CEC/EC shall be two (2) years, from January 1 of one calendar year to December 31 of the following calendar year. The CEC/EC shall be elected once in every two years.  The election of the CEC/EC shall take place between the period of October 1 and December 31 of the election year.  In case of unforeseen situations, if elections are not held by December 31, the tenure of the CEC/EC shall extend by one month.  For further extension Board’s consent shall be required.

Section 3:

The CEC/EC shall appoint an Election Commission by consisting of a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.  The CEC/EC shall provide a fixed election schedule to the Election Commission.  The Election Commission shall be responsible for conducting the election for the CEC/EC as per time schedule. For any re-scheduling the approval from CEC/EC shall be needed. The EC is not authorized to change any election schedule fixed in the General Council meeting by the general members.  The Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners shall not be members of the CEC/EC, members of the Board, and shall not have any conflict of interest with the election or the organization. In the event of inability of the Chief Election Commissioner, the two Election Commissioners shall jointly perform the duties of the Chief Election Commissioner.

Section 4:

Only members and associate members of AABEA who have paid their dues for the current fiscal year on or before the cut-off date and life members/life associate member shall be eligible to vote in the election of the CEC/EC.  The President of the local chapters shall transmit an updated copy of the voter list to the CEC and the Election Commission after the cut-off date has passed.

The respective Election Commission shall send mails with nomination papers to general members of the Association asking for submission of nomination papers for various positions of the CEC and to general members of the local chapter asking for submission of nomination for various positions of the EC.  Sufficient time, but not less than two weeks, shall be given to the prospective candidates for submitting the nomination papers. For withdrawal of the nomination papers a minimum of seven days time shall be given.  The CEC/EC shall set the fee payable to AABEA for submitting nomination papers for various positions; the fee shall be non- refundable after withdrawal date.

Only members/Life members of AABEA as defined by the Constitution and Bylaws shall have the right to contest.  Each nomination shall be seconded by another member or Life member.

The CEC/EC shall not nominate/endorse any candidate for any positions of the CEC/EC.

The Election Commission shall verify the nomination papers.  The Election Commission shall also prepare the ballot containing the names of all candidates in alphabetic order for each position.   Using the ballot, the Election Commission shall conduct the CEC election through the mail and EC election through the mail. EC election shall be conducted in person if requested by fifty one percent membership or thirty general members whichever is less.  The Election Commission, if requested, shall transmit a copy of the valid membership list to the candidate(s).

The CEC election shall be participated by the entire AABEA general membership.  The EC election shall be participated by the general members of  the respective Local Chapter only.

No AABEA member shall submit nomination paper(s) with the intention to hold positions in two executive committees (Central and/or Local Chapters of AABEA) concurrently. Any person holding a position in an executive committee of another organization shall also abstain from submitting nomination papers for a position in the executive committee of AABEA if there is a potential conflict of interest between AABEA and the other organization; the Election Commission shall have the right to determine this conflict of interest and the validity of the nomination paper of the said candidate.  The Election Commission may seek the advice of the CEC/EC to determine and resolve a potential conflict of interest and their decision shall be considered as final.  Any member of the EC shall not be eligible to compete for any EC position for a consecutive third term.

The Election Commission shall count the ballots in the presence of the AABEA officials, candidates and their representatives and declare the results. In case of any dispute, the Board shall set the rules for challenging the results and arrange for recounting, if necessary.  The decisions of the Board shall be considered final. The Election Commission shall be dissolved after resolution of all challenges to the election results.

The Chief Election Commissioner shall submit the income and expense statement of the election to the CEC/EC respectively within fifteen days of the election.

BY-LAW 7:

DISCIPLINE

Section 1:

Any general member or office bearer of the CEC/EC may be subjected to disciplinary action for violation of any of the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws of AABEA or for conduct tending to injure the good name of the Association, disturb its well being or hamper in its work or for failure to perform the duties and obligations of the Association.  For issues against any CEC member majority of the CEC member shall frame charges in a formally called CEC meeting before referring it to the Board.  For issues against any EC member majority of the EC member in a formally called EC meeting shall frame the charges to refer it to the CEC.  The CEC shall review the charges and if warranted, shall subsequently submit it to the Board.  Twenty or more good standing general members (membership dues paid for the previous year or current year shall be considered as good standing) can also file allegation against any CEC/EC/general member stating specific charges directly to the Board.  The Board may take the help of CEC/EC for authenticating the signature and membership status of the applicants.  Prior to the Board’s considering any such case, the member/office bearer of CEC and EC shall be advised of the charges, shall be notified of the time and place of the Board meeting at which the case is to be considered, and shall be invited to present at such time a defense either in person or in writing.  The final action of the Board of Directors shall be at a meeting of the Board.

Section 2:

After considering all evidences presented at the Board meeting the Board of Directors shall decide if the charges against a CEC member/ EC member/general member of the organization are sustained.  A finding that the charges have been sustained shall require the attendance/participation of two-thirds of the Board members and a three-fourth-majority vote in favor of the decisions.  If the charges are not sustained the Board shall submit its report to CEC exonerating the accused CEC/EC/general member.  If the charges are sustained the Board shall submit its report to the CEC with a specific recommendation of penalty.  The board shall recommend either minor penalty such as censure or a fine up to $100.00 or major penalty such as removal from office, suspension from membership for one year, expulsion from membership.

Section 3:

The CEC upon recommendation of the Board can impose only minor penalty. Imposition of major penalty shall require approval from the general members.  If the accused is a CEC member the CEC shall seek the approval from the general members through mail. For removal from the office of the CEC or for suspension of membership for one year a simple majority vote shall be required provided more than fifty percent of the entire membership participates in voting.  If the accused member is EC member or a general member the CEC shall simply forward the Board’s recommendation for major penalty to the respective Local Chapter Executive Committee for action.  The EC shall call a special general meeting for imposing major penalty. For removal from the office of the EC or for suspension from membership for one year a simple majority affirmative vote shall require.  For expulsion from membership two thirds vote in favor is required.

Section 4:

When any sort of major penalty is imposed on any CEC/EC member he/she is automatically removed from his official position.  The CEC/EC shall immediately declare his/her position vacant. The vacant position shall be filled as per Section 2 of Bylaw 5 of this constitution.

Section 6:

No person who has been expelled from membership and no member who has been suspended shall (during the period of suspension) be allowed to any of the rights or privileges of membership in the organization.

END OF CONSTITUTION OF AABEA.

Dr. Sufian A. Khondker,P.E.
President, AABEA CEC.

Mohammed A. Hakim, P. E.
Executive Member, AABEA CEC.

Mohammed A. Zaman
Treasurer, AABEA CEC.

Mukhles Bhuiyan, P.E.
President-Elect, AABEA CEC.

Md. Nurul Haque.
Executive Member, AABEA CEC.

Mahmudur Rahman
Secretary, AABEA CEC

Kem Mashiur Rahman, P.E.
Past President, AABEA CEC