The Constitution of The

BANGLDESH SOCIETY FOR HORTICLTURAL SCIENCE

(AS AMENDED UPTO FEBRUARY, 1998)

Name: The name of the Society shall be “Bangladesh Society for Horticultural Science (BSHS)”
Address: The registered office of the Society shall be located at the Horticulture Research Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute.

PURPOSE
The purposes of the Bangladesh Society for Horticultural Science (Herein After referred to as the “Society”) which is absolutely a non-political one, are to promote and encourage national and international interest in scientific research, education and extension in Horticulture and to safeguard right and privileges of its members through:

  1. Participation and offering of leadership in matters related to horticultural research and development.
  2. Development of mutual understanding and professional interest among individuals concerned with the Science of Horticulture.
  3. Organization of national/international seminars, debates, symposia, exhibitions and other Literary activities including annual conferences of the society to provide a forum for research reporting, lectures and public discussion on Horticultural matters.
  4. Organization of fruit, flower and vegetable shows, establishment of nurseries and providing technical assistance to the people interested in Horticulture.
  5. Dissemination of Horticultural knowledge by organizing short courses and publishing scientific journals, books and other publications in print or electronic form of the society.

ARTICLE  III

Section 1

Categories of members: The society shall have the following categories of members:

  1. i) Ordinary member ii) Life member iii) Associate member
  2. iv) Student member (v) Honorary member (vi) Associate life member

Section 2

Eligibility for membership : Any person, corporation, commercial firm or un-incorporated association in sympathy with the objectives and purposes and co-operating with the aims of the Society shall be eligible for membership in accordance with the constitution and rules and regulations to be in effect from time to time. There shall be no limit to the number of members.

Qualification for the different categories of members shall be as follows :

  1. i) Ordinary member: Any person having a degree (graduate or post graduate) in Horticulture from any recognized institute/University.
  2. ii) Life member: This category shall consist of persons eligible for ordinary membership but pay the prescribed fee for life membership.

iii) Associate member: This category shall consist of persons who are interested in Horticulture or engaged in any profession related to Horticulture, but not eligible for ordinary membership. Corporations, firms, associations or organizations interested in affiliation with the society may become associate members.

  1. iv) Student member: Students regularly enrolled in a course of study leading to a degree in Horticulture are eligible for this category of membership.
  2. v) Honorary member: Persons having exceptionally high reputation and significant contribution in the field of Horticulture may be nominated as honorary member in recognition of their service to the cause of the Science of Horticulture.
  3. vi) Associate life member : This category shall consist of persons who are interested in Horticulture of engaged in any profession related to Horticulture but not eligible for ordinary membership. He has to pay prescribed fee for life membership.

Section 3

Right and privileges of the member: All the members have the same right and obligations, privileges and duties except that the associate members, the honorary members and the student shall have neither the right to vote nor shall they seek election for any post of the Executive Committee of the society. Only the ordinary members and life members are eligible for voting and seeking election.

Section 4

Mode of admission: A person/firm willing to become ordinary member, associate members, life member, student member shall apply to the Secretary General of the Society for the purpose in writing stating their qualification and eligibility for membership together with the requisite admission fee. If such application is accepted by the executive committee, he/the firm shall become such member and get a membership card indicating his/its membership reference number. In case of refusal of the application, subscription or fee received shall be refunded. Honorary membership shall be conferred on a person eligible for it by a resolution in a general meeting after it is duly moved by any member and passed by 2/3rd of the members’ present, fraction being counted as one.

Section 5

Subscription and fees: Any person or organization wishing to become member of the society shall be charged a sum of Tk. 100.00 (Taka One hundred) only each as admission fee and Tk.500.00 (Taka Five hundreds) as the annual membership subscription to be paid at the time of submitting application for membership. The rate of annual subscription for the members which may be changed through a decision taken in a general meeting by 2/3 of the members of the society present as laid down in the Bye -Laws of the Society. The rate of annual subscription for ordinary member and individual associate member shall be the same. In case of an associate member being an organization the rate shall be at least five times to that of an ordinary member. Persons wishing to become life member shall pay a sum of Tk. 3000.00 (Taka Three  thousand) only as fee at a time with the application. A foreigner wishing to become life member shall pay a sum of Tk. 10,000 (Taka ten  thousand) only as fee along with the application. Honorary members will not be required to pay either the admission fee or the annual subscription.

Section 6

Termination of membership : Membership shall terminate on (i) Death, or (ii)Resignation, or (iii) Expulsion of (iv) Failure to pay the annual dues for three consecutive years, provided that, (a) in case of resignation membership shall continue until it is accepted by the Executive Committee or until the expiry of two months from the date of receipt, whichever is earlier, (b) that there shall be no refund of any subscription or fee already paid or any portion thereof, (c) that resignation from membership may be withdrawn before it is accepted, (d) that no one shall be expelled from the membership of the society except by an endorsement of a 2/3rd majority of the members having voting right, (e) that there shall be no expulsion except on the ground that the member is guilty of an act which in the opinion of the aforesaid majority of 2/3rd, amounts to disloyalty to or is prejudicial to the material interest of the Society or its dignity or reputation, (f) that normally there shall be no expulsion in the case of honorary members. However, if any honorary member is found guilty of an act which in the opinion of the 80% members is prejudicial to the interest of the society he may be expelled.   Termination of membership for any cause whatsoever shall operate as a release and termination of all rights, title and interest in the property and assets of the Society.

ARTRCLE IV

MANAGEMENT OF THE SOCIETY

The Society shall express its will and exercise all its authority through a duly elected body named the ‘Executive Committee’ and the members of the Executive Committee shall hold different posts for the appropriate functions and realization of the aims and objectives of the Society.

Section 1

The Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall consist of 13(Thirteen) members as mentioned below:

(i) President 1
(ii) Vice President I 1
(iii) Vice President II 1
(iv) Secretary General 1
(v) Joint Secretary General 1
(vi) Treasurer 1
(vii) Publication Secretary 1
(viii) Social Affairs Secretary 1
(ix) Members 5
Total: 15 (Fifteen)

Section 2
The functions of the Executive Committee:
i) The Executive Committee shall formulate policy and programme of the Society.
ii) The Executive Committee shall be responsible for organizing and controlling all activities of the society.
iii) The Executive Committee shall control fund of the Society and sanction necessary expenditure.
iv) The Executive Committee may appoint sub-committee (s) for specific purposes.
v) Except otherwise provided in the articles, the Executive Committee shall decide all questions relating to the Society.
vi) The Executive Committee shall be responsible for organizing and conducting election for electing the next Executive Committee.

Section 3
The functions of the office bearers:
A. The President
i) The President of the Society shall be the Chief Executive and shall preside over all meetings of the Society.
ii) In case of emergency, he may pass any order on behalf of the Executive Committee and place the same before the Executive Committee within 15 days for consideration and approval.
iii) The president shall act according to the provisions of the constitution and shall exercise such powers as have been vested in him by the constitution.
iv) The rulings of the President of the meeting on any point of order or as the meaning or interpretation of any rule shall be final, provided that the President of the meeting shall not give any ruling as to the meaning or interpretation of any rule, unless the Executive Committee is unable to interpret it or unless in his judgment the orderly conduct of business requires him to do so.
v) The President of the meeting shall have a casting vote in case of equality of votes in any meeting of the Society.
vi) The President shall be the presiding officer in the election of the Executive Committee for the next term.
vii) The President shall be responsible for all his actions to the Executive Committee and through it to the general body of the Society.

B. The Vice President I and II
In the absence of the President from the headquarters the Vice President I shall Exercise the normal powers and shall perform the normal functions of the president and shall be held responsible for all policy matters, execution and activities of the Society. The Vice President II shall perform all duties of the President according to the constitution in absence of the president and the Vice President I from the headquarters.
C. The Secretary General
i) The General shall perform such functions or exercise such power as laid down in the constitution. For all his actions he shall be responsible to the President and through him to the Executive Committee and the general body of the Society.
ii) He shall convene all meetings of the Society including the meeting of the Executive Committee. He shall maintain minutes, records and proceedings of all such meetings convened by him.
iii) He shall be the custodian of all the properties of the Society and shall take such steps as he deems suitable for the proper safe-guard and maintenance of such properties and articles.
iv) He will appoint the employees on wages under the Society subject to the approval of the Executive Committee against the post or posts sanctioned by the Executive Committee and on pay fixed by it.
v) He shall prepare the annual report of the activities of the Society and lace it before annual meeting of the general body.
vi) All general purchases and payments shall be made by him on behalf of the Society and he shall take the necessary sanction for such expenditure from the Executive committee.
vii) He shall supervise the activities of the Sectional Secretaries.
viii) He will make and maintain liaison with other national or international organization for the purpose of exchange of information pertaining to Horticulture or for any other purpose that may be useful for fulfilling the objectives of the Society.
ix) He will prepare the tentative programme of the activities of the Society for the period of his term as General Secretary. The Joint Secretary and the Treasurer of the Society will assist him in this respect.
D. The Joint Secretary General
The Joint Secretary shall assist the General Secretary in all matters and shall exercise such power and perform such functions as are assigned to him by the General Secretary and shall act as General Secretary in his absence. In the absence of any of the Sectional Secretaries of the Executive Committee he shall remain in charge and shall be responsible for that section.
E. The Treasurer
i) The Treasurer shall receive all money and shall disburse all payments of behalf of the Society.
ii) He shall maintain a cashbook and enter all receipts and disbursements and shall be responsible for the proper accounts of the fund of the Society.
iii) The Treasurer shall deposit all money received by him on behalf of the Society with a Scheduled Bank as determined by the Executive Committee and the account shall be operated jointly by the President and the Secretary General. In case of his absence for 15 days or more, the Vice President II shall act as the Treasurer.
F. The Publication Secretary
He shall be responsible for the publication of journals, bulletins, books and other periodicals of the Society.

G. The Social Affairs Secretary
i) He shall collect information which are of interest to activities of the Society and disseminate the same to the members of the Society.
ii) He shall make arrangement for holding fruit, vegetable and flower shows and other social functions as and when necessary.
iii) He shall maintain liaison between the Society and the farmers/interested persons for the purpose of dissemination on modern techniques in Horticulture.
H. The Members of the Executive Committee
i) All member of the Executive Committee shall have the same right and privilege obligations and duties within the Executive Committee except their special powers and functions as provided for by the constitution.
ii) Members may perform functions assigned to them from time to by the Executive Committee.
iii) The Executive Committee can only be dissolved by a ‘no confidence’ motion passed by 2/3rd majority of the members of the Society having voting right. Such a ‘no confidence’ motion may be brought by a written application addressed to the President under signatures of and supported by at least 1/3rd of the total members having voting rights, fractions being counted as one. In case the ‘no confidence’ motion is duly passed, fresh election must be held within 1 month from the date of its declaration.

ARTICLE   V

ELECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

  1. Election of the Executive Committee shall be held by the 31st January of alternate year. Only one month extension may be allowed if the election cannot be held within the specified period for any valid reason. Henceforth the preceding Executive Committee shall automatically be dissolved.
  2. The election date and time shall be fixed by the Executive Committee and notified by the Social Affairs Secretary at least 45 days before the date of election.
  3. Voting shall be made in secret ballots. Ballot papers duly signed by the President, the Secretary General and the Social Affairs Secretary shall be sent to the voters at least 15 days before the date of election. Ballot paper of the voters residing outside the headquarters shall be sent by registered post/courier services.
  4. The ballot papers must reach the President by 3:00 P. M. of the date of election otherwise the ballots shall be treated as cancelled.
  5. Counting of votes must be held on the same day immediately after the voting in presence of the candidates or their authorized agents. The results of the election shall be declared by the Presiding Officer as soon as the counting of votes is completed.
  6. Each member shall have one vote to cast for each of the posts.
  7. A candidate shall not seek election to more than one post at a time and shall not hold the same post for more than two consecutive terms.
  8. All members who have cleared their arrear subscription before the publication of the final voter list, shall be eligible for voting or for seeking election. The final voter list shall be prepared by the Social Affairs Secretary and sent to all voters at least 45 days before the commencement of election. On the same date the Social Affairs Secretary shall notify all voters to submit their nomination papers to the President of the society within 20 days from the date of notification.
  9. Any voter of the Society shall have the right to nominate any candidate of any post for election seconded by another voter and endorsed by the candidate in black and white.
  10. The names of the nominees, proposers and seconders must be legible, correct and complete.
  11. The nomination paper shall be properly scrutinized by the Presiding Officer and after cancellation of invalid nomination papers, if any, a list of qualified candidates shall be notified by the Presiding Officer at least 24 days before the date of election.
  12. The nominated candidates may withdraw their candidature by personal application in writing addressed to the President within 7 days from the date of publication of the list of qualified candidates.

13. In case of a tie in ballot the decision will be taken on the basis of a toss.