Governance & Bylaws

Preamble

We, the alumni associations of Textile Engineering Colleges in Bangladesh, established this Constitution to form the Association of Textile Engineers, Bangladesh (ATEB), promoting unity, collaboration, professional development, and mutual support among alumni.

Article 1: Name and Purpose

Name: The organization shall be known as the Association of Textile Engineers, Bangladesh (ATEB).
Purpose: To unite alumni associations of Textile Engineering Colleges in Bangladesh; foster collaboration, networking, knowledge sharing, and initiatives benefiting alumni and the textile engineering profession.

Article 2: Membership

Primary Members: Alumni associations of Textile Engineering Colleges in Bangladesh that fulfill membership conditions, including:
- Recognition by a government or educational authority.
- An active alumni base of at least 50 members, defined as engaging in regular activities (e.g., meetings, events, or newsletters).
- Commitment to ATEB’s purposes and volunteer-driven mission.
Individual Members: Alumni registered with primary member associations, granted access to ATEB events, resources, and volunteer opportunities.
Honorary Members: Former committee members ex committee members appointed as non-voting honorary members.
Advisory Members: Former committee’s President General Sacretery, Organising Sacretery, Treasurer will be appointed as non-voting advisory members.
Founding Members: ATEB forming PI committee appointed as founding member.
Associate Members: Current students, faculty, or industry professionals may join as non-voting associate members to participate in events and cells, encouraging broader volunteer engagement.
Diversity and Inclusion: ATEB is committed to an inclusive environment, ensuring equal volunteer opportunities regardless of gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background.
Admission Process: New associations apply for membership; approval requires a majority vote of primary members after Board review of their capacity to contribute to ATEB’s success.
Rights and Duties: Primary members participate in decision-making, contribute to funding, and uphold ATEB’s objectives. Individual members volunteer for events and propose initiatives to drive success.
Termination: Membership may be terminated by resignation, failure to meet conditions, or supermajority (2/3) vote for violations, ensuring alignment with ATEB’s goals.
Volunteer Recognition: ATEB will establish an annual recognition program to honor outstanding volunteer contributions, fostering motivation and engagement.

Article 3: Decision Making

Voting Rights: Each primary member association shall have one equal vote, regardless of size.
Quorum: A majority (more than 50%) of primary members must be present or represented for decisions.
Decision Types: Simple majority for routine matters; supermajority (2/3) for amendments, admissions, or major financial commitments.
Voting: Voting done by full board members as panel from that association and it is considered that their opinion is from stack holder alumni association
Proxy Voting: Allowed if designated in writing.

Article 4: Funding and Financing

Sources: Mandatory yearly membership fees paid by primary member associations, event fees, sponsorships, and donations.
Membership Fees: Each primary member association shall pay an annual membership fee, the amount to be determined by the Board and ratified by a simple majority vote of primary members at the Annual General Meeting.
Attendee-Based Events: Costs shared proportionally based on the number of attendees from each primary member association.
Common Initiatives: Costs allocated based on the proportional number of alumni in each primary member association.
Budgeting: Annual budget prepared by the Treasurer, approved by the Board, and ratified by primary members.
Financial Oversight: Audits annually; transparent reporting quarterly.
Future Proofing: Establishment of an emergency fund (5% of annual budget); guidelines for sponsorships and grants; provisions for fundraising committees.

Article 5: Board Structure and Operations

Composition: The Board consists of five representatives from each primary member association, elected biannually by their associations to lead volunteer efforts.
Positions and Duties:
- President: Leads meetings, represents ATEB externally, oversees operations; requires 10 years of professional experience or graduation at least 10 years prior. 1 position
- Vice President: Assists President, assumes duties in absence; requires 8 years of professional experience or graduation at least 8 years prior. From balance members who meets the criteria
- General Secretary: Records minutes, handles correspondence, maintains records; requires 10 years of professional experience or graduation at least 10 years prior.. 1 position
- Joint Secretary: Assists General Secretary, supports record-keeping and correspondence; requires 5 years of professional experience or graduation at least 5 years prior.. From balance members who meets the criteria
- Organising Secretary: Coordinates volunteer-led events, manages engagement, oversees logistics; requires 5 years of professional experience or graduation at least 5 years prior. 1 position
- Joint Organising Secretary: Assists Organising Secretary, supports event coordination and logistics; requires 3 years of professional experience or graduation at least 3 years prior. From balance members who meets the criteria
- Treasurer: Manages finances, prepares budgets, ensures compliance; requires 5 years of professional experience or graduation at least 5 years prior. 1 position
- Joint Treasurer: Assists Treasurer, supports financial management and reporting; requires 3 years of professional experience or graduation at least 3 years prior. From balance members who meets the criteria
- Executive Board Member: Support initiatives, vote on Board matters; no experience minimum to encourage volunteer participation.
Code of Conduct: Board members act in ATEB’s best interest, avoid conflicts, and maintain confidentiality, fostering a culture of trust for volunteers.
Election and Terms: Positions rotated biannually among primary members; 2-year terms with a maximum of two consecutive terms to promote fresh leadership.
Vacancies: Filled by the respective association within 7 days to maintain operational success.
Operations: Board manages day-to-day activities, forms policies, and executes volunteer-driven decisions.
Advisory Council: Optional council of senior alumni or industry experts provides strategic guidance to enhance initiative success, without voting rights.

Article 6: Meetings

General Meetings: Annual General Meeting (AGM) for all members to review activities, approve budget, and elect representatives; held in person or virtually within 3 months of fiscal year end.
Board Meetings: Monthly, or as needed; agenda circulated 7 days in advance.
Special Meetings: Called by the President or 1/3 of primary members with 14 days notice.
Conduct: Roberts Rules of Order or similar for procedure; minutes recorded and distributed.
Additional Provisions: Virtual/hybrid options; recording for absent members; attendance requirements (e.g., 75% for Board members). If any member does not attend 3 consecutive meetings without informing, considered out of post and that association requested to fill replacement. In case all representatives miss this way, membership is cancelled for that association.

Article 7: Initiatives and Cells

Formation: The Board may establish cells or committees for specific initiatives (e.g., events, professional development, research).
Structure: Each cell led by a Board-appointed chair; open to individual members.
Operations: Cells report quarterly to the Board; funded via allocated budget.
Member Association Support: Any decision or initiative made by the ATEB Board or its member associations shall be fully supported by all primary member associations. For campus and alumni-related tasks, ATEB must arrange these through the respective member association to ensure alignment with local needs and resources.
Future Proofing: Dissolution by Board vote if inactive; annual evaluation.

Article 8: Amendments

Process: Proposed by any primary member; requires supermajority (2/3) approval at a general meeting, amendment to be approved along with Founding Members and Advisory Members in general meeting.
Review: Constitution reviewed every 5 years by a dedicated committee formed by the Board.

Article 9: Dissolution

Conditions: By supermajority vote if ATEB’s purposes cannot be fulfilled.
Asset Distribution: Remaining assets distributed equally among primary members after debts settled

Sub-Clause 1: Board Member Selection Process

Reference: Members Meeting, August 5, 2025

Tenure: The tenure of the ATEB Board shall commence in January and extend for two years, concluding in December of the second year.

Selection Process: In December of each election year, all primary member associations shall convene to distribute Board positions as outlined in Article 5 of the ATEB Constitution through a lottery system.

Lottery for Key Positions: The lottery shall determine the allocation of the following positions: President, General Secretary, Organising Secretary, and Treasurer. Each primary member association shall be eligible to participate in the lottery for these positions, provided they meet the eligibility criteria specified in Article 5.

Exclusion from Lottery: Any primary member association currently holding one of the aforementioned positions (President, General Secretary, Organising Secretary, or Treasurer) shall be excluded from the lottery for the same position to prevent consecutive tenure in that specific role. This ensures equitable rotation of leadership roles among member associations.

Implementation: The lottery shall be conducted transparently during the December meeting, with all primary member associations present or represented. Within December, each association shall nominate candidates for the allocated positions, and the new committee shall be onboarded to ensure a seamless transition by the end of the month.

Sub-Clause 2:

Founding Members:

Md. Saidul Karim Riaz, 1st Batch, TECN
Md. Tarek Aziz, 3rd Batch, TECN
Riajul Raihan, 1st Batch, BTEC
Zohir Uddin Mohammad Babor, 1st Batch, BTEC
Sheikh Shariful Islam, 1st Batch, BTEC
Md. Emdadullah, 1st Batch, CTEC
S M Suman Xico, 2nd Batch, TECN
Ruhul Amin Robel, 1st Batch, TECN
Md. Shahadat Hossain Minto, 2nd Batch, PTEC
Md. Tafazzal Hossain, 2nd Batch, CTEC

Role of this panel

They will be stack holder in case any association members want to change constitution or situation of abolishment
On association concern if Executive want they can take advise
They can be members of other bodies if the alumni association selects them, it will not be discredit for them.

History of PI Committee

PI committee was formed 2018 with a general members meeting between alumni association at Bhaishaki Restaurant Uttara