BAG

Subject to the matters set out below the Association and its property shall be administered and managed in accordance with this constitution by the members of the Executive Committee, constituted by clause 6 of this constitution "The Executive Committee"

Name of the Association

Bangladesh Association Glasgow or BAG for short from herein after. 

Administration

Subject to the matters set out below the Association and its property shall be administered and managed in accordance with this constitution by the members of the Executive Committee, constituted by clause 6 of this constitution "The Executive Committee

Objectives

 

The objectives of the association are:

To uphold and promote Bangladeshi culture & heritage.

To provide assistance and if necessary represent interests of individual members.

To organize various activities (i.e. Social, cultural, sporting and charity projects etc.) which BAG considers being appropriate from time to time

To encourage and promote social cohesion among the main stream Scottish population and various ethnic communities living in Scotland. To liaise and co-operate with other community organizations to build a multi-cultural, and multi faith society of equal opportunity.

To fight against discrimination of any form and protect the interests of its members and community.

Powers
In order to fulfill its objects the Association shall have the power to do all such things as are lawful including the power to raise funds and to borrow money on such terms as the Executive Committee (EC) may see fit.

 Membership

The membership of the organization will be open to all persons age 16 or above and of Bangladeshi origin by birth, ancestry, marriage or nationality.

The membership will be categorized into Executive and General.

Subscription amount for membership will be set each year by the executive members.

Members will have full access to accounts and activity report of BAG. But they will have to request that in writing to EC. EC will be bound to provide any requested information within 28 days of request.

The Association may also have a membership section for those under the age of 16 years who shall be known as “Youth members”. Youth members shall not have voting rights and may not serve on the Executive Committee but they may elect one of their members to represent their views at meetings of the Executive Committee.

An organisation which is a member shall appoint an individual to represent it at meetings of the Association; and may appoint an alternate to replace its appointed representative at any meeting of the Association if the appointed representative is unable to attend. Each member organization shall notify the name of the representative appointed by it, and of any alternate, to the Executive Committee. 

No one shall be accepted as a member of the Association who has not first completed a membership application form. Membership shall be renewable yearly.

Membership is terminated if:

the member resigns by written notice to the Association (a cooling off period of 2 weeks is applicable) or

The Executive Committee by a majority vote and for good reason terminates the membership of any individual or member organization: provided that the individual concerned or the appointed representative of the member organisation concerned (as the case may be) shall have the right to be heard by the Executive Committee, accompanied by a friend, before the final decision is made.

The Executive Committee

a) The members shall elect from among themselves the following members with roles and responsibilities –

• President
• Vice President
• Treasurer
• General Secretary
• Assistant General Secretary
• Cultural and Literary Secretary
• Sports Secretary
• Social Welfare Secretary
• Secretary for Finance and Accounting
• Secretary for Information & Technology
• Another 10 to 15 members including organizational members.
  
  

b) The EC will have tenure of 2 years.

c) The EC shall consist of not less than 10 members and not more than 25 members.

d) The EC may, by and from their number and from time to time, elect such officers as they see fit.

e) If vacancies occur among the members of the EC between annual general meetings, the EC shall have the power to co-opt from the general membership to make up the numbers.

f) EC members may resign at any time provided that all such resignations are in writing (and only if at least 3 members of the Executive Committee remain in office when the notice of resignation takes effect).

g) All the members of the EC shall retire from office at the end of the 2nd annual general meeting after the date on which they came into office but they may be re-elected or reappointed.

h) An EC member may be removed from office by a member’s resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of the membership present and voting at a general meeting who consider that it is in the best interests of the Association: provided that such a decision and the reasons for it are properly recorded.

i) Members of the Executive Committee shall not financially benefit from the activities of the Association and are entitled to receive reasonable and permissible out of pocket expenses only.

j) An EC member wishing to resign can do so in writing giving 14 day’s notice to General Secretary.

k) EC members will meet every 2 months minimum.

l) Because, the association is a common platform where all the community members and organization can be united, a representative from each member organization shall be in the executive committee by virtue of their representation. They will have no voting right.

m) The above representatives (by virtue of representation) and other executive members who will be (selected by elected members), will serve as executive members till their term or till the associate organization or selected members will choose to opt out.

7) Meetings and Proceedings of the Executive Committee

a) The Executive Committee may participate together for the dispatch of business and may adjourn and otherwise regulate their meetings as they see fit. A meeting may also be held by suitable electronic means agreed by the Executive Committee in which each participant may communicate with all the other participants.

b) There shall be a quorum when 3 members of the Executive Committee participate in a meeting.
c) Every matter shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members of the Executive Committee participating and voting on the question but in the case of equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
d) The Executive Committee shall keep minutes, in books or electronically kept for the purpose, of the proceedings at meetings of the Executive Committee and any sub-committee.

8) Steering Committee

a) Executive committee shall delegate the tasks to a steering committee before an event or project.
b) The Steering committee shall consist of President, Vice president, General Secretary, Assistant General Secretary, Treasurer, the relevant secretary (of the event or project) and one more member from the executive committee who will be chosen by the secretary.
c) SC will delegate responsibilities to sub-committees or persons as they think fit, provided that such sub-committees or persons shall conform to any regulations imposed on them by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee may revoke or vary any delegated authority at any time.

9) Advisory committee

a) There shall be Advisory board to help the executive committee with guidance and support but shall not possess executive power. The number of these members shall be any number between 2 to 10.
b) The members of the Advisory board will be selected by all members at the Annual general meeting (AGM).
c) The President and General Secretary shall conduct the affairs of BAG with advice from Advisory board when required

10) Property

Any property, assets or contracts, including contracts of employment, held in the name of the Association and not vested in named holding trustees shall be deemed to be held jointly by the members of the Executive Committee for the time being.

11) Annual General Meeting

The Executive Committee shall arrange an annual general meeting to take place within the first six months of each financial year. The purpose shall be:

a) to present the annual report and statement of accounts.
b) to accept any resignations of members of the Executive Committee.
c) to elect new Executive Committee members bi-annually and to vote, if necessary, on proposals.
d) At least 28 days’ notice of the annual general meeting is to be given to all members.

12) Special General Meetings

The Executive Committee or any 6 members of the Association may request a special general meeting of the Association at any time which needs to be approved by the President (or Vice president in Presidentss absence) and General Secretary (or Assistant General Secretary in General Secretary’s absence) provided that such a request is made in writing, stating the business to be considered. At least 7 days’ notice must be given. The notice must state the business to be discussed.

13) Procedure at General Meetings

a) The Executive Committee shall keep a full record of proceedings at every general meeting of the Association.
b) There shall be a quorum when 6 members of the Association who are entitled to vote are present at any general meeting.
c) With the exception of resolutions to remove a member of the Executive Committee or to dissolve the Association, any question to be decided at a general meeting shall require a simple majority of those present and voting on the issue.
d) General meetings shall be open to all members. Every individual member aged 16 years and over and every organisation which is a member shall have one vote on any question to be decided at a general meeting. Junior members may attend and speak but not vote.

14) Notices

Any notice required to be served on any member of the Association shall be in writing and shall be served by the Executive Committee on any member, either personally, by e-mail or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to such member at his or her last known address in the United Kingdom, and any letter so sent shall be deemed to have been received within 3 days of posting.

15) Finance

a) All monies raised by the Association shall be applied to further the Objects of the Association and for no other purpose.

b) The Executive Committee shall keep proper account of the finances of the Association and shall open a bank account in its name. All cheques drawn on that account must be signed by at least two members of the Executive Committee; and all electronic transfers or similar must be approved in writing by at least two members of the Executive Committee prior to transfer.

c) The accounts shall be independently examined annually by qualified Accountant.

16) Amendments to the Constitution

The constitution may be altered by a resolution passed by a simple majority of the Executive members present and voting at a general meeting. The notice of the general meeting must include notice of the resolution, setting out the terms of the alteration proposed.

17) Rules or By-laws

The Executive Committee may from time to time make such reasonable and proper rules or bylaws as they may deem necessary or expedient for the proper conduct and management of the Association.
The bylaws may regulate the following matters but are not restricted to them:

a) the admission of members of the Association (including the admission of organization to membership) and the rights and privileges of such members and the entrance fees, subscriptions and other fees or payments to be made by members;
b) the conduct of members of the Association in relation to one another, and to the Association’s employees and volunteers;
c) the procedure at general meetings and meetings of the Executive Committee and sub-committees in so far as such procedure is not regulated by this constitution;
d) Generally all such matters as are commonly the subject matter of organizational rules.
The Executive Committee or the Association in general meeting shall have power to alter, add to or repeal the rules or bylaws and the Executive Committee shall adopt such means as they think sufficient to bring to the notice of the members of Association all such rules or bylaws which shall be binding on all members of the Association: provided that no rule or bylaw shall be inconsistent with, or shall affect anything contained in, this constitution.

18) Eligibility of voting:

a) All members will have the right to vote. AGS will maintain a list of members which will updated every year.

b) The voters list will be prepared by AGS 30 days prior to election. Only those who have paid subscription, at least a week before election will be eligible to vote.

19) Dissolution

If at any time a majority of the Executive Committee decides it is advisable to dissolve the Association, it shall call a general meeting of all members of the Association of which not less than 21 days’ notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed) shall be given. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting at such a meeting shall confirm such a decision. Any equipment and/or monies left after the settlement of any proper debts and liabilities shall be donated to an organisation with similar aims and objectives, or, failing that, may be donated to such charitable organization or organizations as the members shall decide.

20) Adoption of Constitution

This constitution was adopted on the date mentioned below by the persons whose signatures appear at the bottom of this document.