| 1. Name: The name of the association shall be "Association of Bangladeshi Engineers of Alberta, Canada" and hereafter shall be called "ABEAC". |
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| 2. Head Office: The Head Office of the ABEAC shall be located in Calgary in the Province of Alberta. Branch offices may be established anywhere in the Province of Alberta with approval of the Board of Directors. |
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3. Objectives: The association shall be a non-profit, non-partisan, non-religious, non-political voluntary professional organization. The aims and objectives of the association shall be:
a) Professional Development through seminar and symposium;
b) Professional support / guidance for obtaining Professional Engineer's status in the province of Alberta;
c) Assistance in job search and career enhancement
d) Information exchange for mutual benefits of the members;
e) Technical co-operation with technical Institutions in Canada and Bangladesh;
f) Development of fellowship among the members;
g) Recreation and social interaction among the members and their families;
h) Active participation in community programmes;
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| 4. Language: English shall be official language of ABEAC. |
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5. Membership:
a) Regular Member: Any Engineer or Architect of Bangladesh ancestry with a minimum of Bachelor degree or equivalent is eligible to become a regular member with the payment of prescribed fee and declaration of commitment to the aims and objectives of the ABEAC
b) Life Member: Any Regular member paying an amount of $ 300.00 at a time shall become a Life Member.
c) Student Member: Any student of Bangladesh origin studying in undergraduate engineering program in any universities of the world is eligible to become a student member with the payment of prescribed fee. Student member shall not be entitled to vote.
d) Honorary Member: Any individual making substantial contribution towards the aims and objectives of
the association is eligible to become an Honorary Member with recommendation of the board of directors. He/she shall not be required to pay any fee and shall not be entitled to vote
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| 6. Rights and Privilege: All regular and life members shall have equal rights and privilege. Student member and Honorary member shall have all rights and privilege except voting. All votes must be cast in person. |
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| 7. Tenure of Membership: Once some one becomes member of ABEAC, membership will continue as long as the annual membership fee is paid. Membership will cease to exist if membership fee is not paid for two consecutive years. A member may be expelled from the association for participation or involvement in any activity detrimental to the interest of the association on recommendation of the Board of Directors and approved by at least two-third of the total membership present in a general meeting. |
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| 8. Dues: Annual membership fee is non-refundable, payable by July to June each year. The membership fee shall be determined in the AGM. |
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| 9. Organizational structure: |
| 9.1 Board of Directors: The Board of directors shall operate, manage and supervise all the activities and affairs of the ABEAC. The Board shall also execute the policy decisions approved in a general meeting. None of the Board members will be remunerated for the services they render for ABEAC. |
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9.2 Number of Directors: The Board shall consist of seven (7) members to fill the following functional positions. The members of the board of directors with their position and portfolios shall be elected by the regular members.
1. President
2. Vice-President
3. Executive Director
4. Director-Finance
5. Director-Professional membership and employment guidance
6. Director-Publicity, membership and development
7. Director-Youth, children and cultural affairs
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| 9.3 Advisors: The immediate past President and Executive Director will act as 'Advisors' to existing Executive Committee. |
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10. Co-Option of Board Members: In case of any of the following situations the existing board may fill-up the position of director(s) by co-option from among the Members of the ABEAC:
(1) Maximum 3 (three) board members from the regular members of good standing to perform special assignment
2) In case of resignation of any director;
3) In case of death or inability to carryout the duties of a director;
4) In case of any director not attending regularly scheduled board meetings consecutively for 3 times without showing any valid and reasonable cause(s) of such absenteeism
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| 11. Meeting: |
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11.1 Annual General Meeting (AGM): At least one general meeting shall be held in each year. The executive director shall give notice in writing by e-mail to all members in good standing, informing the date, time, place and agenda of the meeting at least one week prior to the date of any general meeting. The president shall have tie vote in case
members are evenly divided. |
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| 11.2 Board of Directors Meeting: In any board meeting minimum of one -third of the directors should be present to make any decision. The president shall have tie vote in case directors are evenly divided. |
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| 12. Requisition of a Meeting: Written requisition to the board of directors by more than half of the total membership in good standing shall be required for requesting a general meeting to consider such matter as requested in the requisition letter. The board of directors shall there upon send out the notice of General Meeting not later than 15 days after receipt of such request. |
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| 13. Quorum: A quorum for a general meeting shall be one-third of the regular members in the membership list. At all meetings, unless otherwise stated, a simple majority shall decide every issue. |
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| 14. Elections And Terms: The election for the positions of the board of directors shall be held every two years. All the existing directors shall be eligible for reelection on expiry of their terms. An individual seeking nomination for the position as a member of the board of directors must be endorsed by at least two regular members in good standing. The entire Board or any member of the Board may be removed in a requisitioned general meeting by a three-fourth majority of the members present. |
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15.1 Election Commission: The term of the board of directors expires on the 30th June of the year. 15 days before the expiry date of the term, the board shall nominate a three-member election commission headed by an Election Commissioner from the regular members. The members of the election commission shall not be eligible for election
as a member of the board of directors. |
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15.2 Function of the Election Commission: The function of the election commission shall be as follows:
(a) Notify the date, time and place of the election; election commission may, at their option, decide for conducting
the election on the pre specified date.
(b) Communicate and implement the rules and procedure of the election process;
(c) Verify, authenticate and display the voters list;
(d) Entertain and validate nominations;
(e) Conduct election in a fair and impartial manner;
(f) Declare the election results and maintain a list of total candidates and voting records; and
(g) Preside the changeover of the administration.
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16. Safeguard of Funds and Other Valuables: Cash, cheques, and other valuables of the ABEAC shall be deposited for safe keeping in a bank or in any other financial institution in Calgary selected by the board of directors. For withdrawal of fund or issuance of cheques, co-signatures of any two of the following members of the board shall be required:
(a) President
(b) Executive Director
(c) Director, Finance.
The Association shall not borrow money from any individual or a financial institution.
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| 17. Responsibility of the Board Members: |
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| 17.1 President: The President shall preside over all the meetings as well as lead the ABEAC and be responsible for all the activities of the ABEAC |
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| 17.2 Vice-President: The Vice -President shall assist the President in his/her day-to-day activities and shall assume the responsibilities of the ABEAC in absence of the President. |
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| 17.3 Executive Director: The Executive Director shall be responsible for executing the decisions and co-ordination of programs and activities undertaken of the board and the general meeting. He/she will prepare and keep minutes of all meetings of the Association. He/she will be the custodian of all assets and the seal of the ABEAC. Only the Executive Director will use the seal on behalf of the Association. |
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17.4 Director, Finance: The Director, Finance shall maintain the records of all receipts and disbursements of funds.
He/she will be responsible for the preparation of annual budget.
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| 17.5 Director-Professional membership and employment guidance: The Director, Professional Membership and Employment guidance shall provide guidance to new members regarding obtaining license of the APEGGA and other professional bodies to enter the Canadian job market |
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| 17.6 Director-Publicity, membership and Development: The Director, Publicity, Membership and Development shall be responsible for inviting, enrolling and maintaining an updated record of all members and maintaining public relations with other external organizations plus development facilities available and organize seminars, courses etc. |
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| 17.7 Director Youth, children and cultural affairs: The Director, Youth, Children and Cultural affairs shall organize youths and children of the members and arrange cultural, recreational and social activities and provide services for the general well being of the members and their children. |
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| 17.8 Advisors: Advisors will work as NON-EXECUTIVE members of the existing Executive Committee. The existing committee will seek advice as required. |
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| 18. Audit: Every year the books of the Association shall be audited by an auditor appointed in a general meeting. The audited report must be placed before the Annual General Meeting for approval. |
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| 19. Inspection of Books and Records: The executive director will prepare and keep the minutes of the meetings. Copies of all records and financial activities undertaken by all directors will be forwarded to the Executive Director for safekeeping. The Executive Director will make all books and records available to the members at the AGM. |
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| 20. Amendments: The bylaws may be amended by a special resolution in a general meeting. Any member in good standing may propose a special resolution for amendment and it must be approved by ¾ of those who attended the properly called general meeting. |
