Salisbury Bangladeshi Welfare Association (SBWA)

  1. Name and Registered office.
  •  The name of the Association is Salisbury Bangladeshi

Welfare Association (‘the Association’)

  •  The Association’s registered office is to be situated in Salisbury UK and the correspondence address will be determined by the management committee from time to time.
  1. ADMINISTRATION

Subject to the matters set out below the Association and it’s property shall be administered in accordance with this constitution by the members of the management committee, constituted by clause H of this constitution ( ‘the management committee’). The Association will not be affiliated to any political parties either in the UK or in Bangladesh.

  1. OBJECTS

  The Association’s objects (‘the objects’) are:

  •  To improve co-operation between the people who originated from Bangladesh who now reside in Salisbury UK.
  •   To improve the social , educational , environmental and economic conditions of the people of Salisbury Uk.
  •   To co-operate and collaborate with other communities and organisations to work for the common good and to enhance community cohesion.
  •   To support charitable initiatives which would bring benefit to people of Salisbury UK & Bangladesh
  •   To promote Bangladeshi sports and cultural activity.
  •   To promote mother tongue for our next generation
  •   To celebrate Bangladesh national holidays and important cultural events and important days.
  1.  POWERS

In furtherance of the objects in clause C above but not otherwise the Management Committee may exercise the following powers ;

  •  Power to raise funds and to invite and receive contributions provided that in raising funds the Management Committee shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to any relevant requirements of the law.
  •   Power to buy, take on lease or in exchange any property necessary for the achievement of the objects and to maintain and equip it for use.
  •   Power subject to any consent required by law to sell , lease or dispose of all or any part of the property of the Association.
  •   Power  subject to any consents required by law to borrow money and to charge all or any part of the property of the Association with repayment of the money so borrowed .
  •   Power to employ such staff ( who shall not be members of the Management Committee ) as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects and to make all reasonable and necessary provision for the payment of the pensions and superannuation for staff and their dependents.
  •   Powers to affiliate, provide financial and other support and co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects or of similar charitable purposes and to accept information and advice with them.
  •   Power to establish or support any charitable Associations, trading companies, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the objects.
  •   Power to appoint and constitute such advisory committees as the management committee may think fit.
  •   Power to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects.
  1. MEMBERSHIP
  •  Membership of the Association shall be open to:
  •  All people originating from Bangladesh residing in Salisbury, UK aged 18 and over.
  • Who are of sound mind and good character.
  • Who are interested in and willing to contribute to or actively further the objects of the Association.
  • Who pays the annual membership fee set by the management committee from time to time.
  •  All new members must be approved by the management committee.
  •   The membership will not be less than 15.
  •   Every member shall have one vote.
  •   The management committee may by 2/3 majority vote and for good reason suspend the membership of any individual: Provided that the individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the management committee, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made at the AGM for termination of membership.
  •   The management committee has the right to refuse any membership without giving any explanation.
  1. ELECTION.
  •  At the 3rd annual general meeting of the Association the members shall elect or select from amongst themselves a minimum of 9 and maximum of 13 persons, who shall hold office as the management committee from the conclusion of that meeting and upon election or selection the elected or selected members of the management committee shall select or elect the chairman, secretary, treasurer & any other positions required in the executive committee from the elected or selected members and may co-opt up to a maximum of 4 persons to be members of the management committee.
  •  For a member to be elected in the management committee s/ he has to nominate himself/ herself or has to be nominated by another member with approval from the nominee. Self nomination must be seconded by another member.
  •  A member can nominate only one member ( including himself/herself) .
  •  To be elected in the management committee, every nominee has to be present in the Annual General Meeting.
  •  Nomination process will open 30 days before the nomination closing date. Nomination closing date will be 30 days before the date of election ( AGM).
  • MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE & OFFICE BEARERS
  •  The office bearers of the Association shall be elected by the members of the management committee from the elected members. The office bearers shall be;
  •  Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer  and any other positions as necessary.
  • A member can only be elected to the positions of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer for a maximum of 3 terms. (Consecutively two terms and then for another term)
  •  The Management Committee may in addition appoint co-opted members to fill any vacancies arising from the death, resignation or termination of membership of any elected Management Committee member but so that no one may be appointed as a co-opted member if the co-opted members of the management committee exceed one third of the members of the Management Committee. Each appointment of a co-opted member shall be made at a special meeting of the Management Committee called under clause K(1) and shall take effect from the end of that  meeting to the next annual general meeting of the Association following his appointment.
  •  All the members of the Management Committee shall retire from office together at the end of the 3rd annual general meeting next after the date on which they came to office.

a, The proceedings of the Management Committee shall not be invalidated by any vacancy among their number or by any failure to appoint or any defect in the appointment or qualification of  a member.

b, Nobody shall be appointed as a member of the Management Committee who is aged under eighteen or who would if appointed be disqualified under the provisions of the following clause

  •  No person shall be entitled to act as a member of the Management Committee whether on a first or on any subsequent entry into office until after signing in the minutes book of the Management Committee a declaration of acceptance and of willingness to act in the Association
  •  The elected management committee members of the Association will select from themselves the directors of any charitable companies established by the Association to further its objects.    

H.         Advisory Council

  •  The Management Committee may appointment an advisory council.
  •  The number of members in the advisory council shall be decided by the Management Committee from time to time.
  •  The advisory council members may be appointed from among the senior members of the Association.
  •  The advisory council members will be invited to any meetings deemed necessary.
  •  The advisory council members will not have any voting right in the Management Committee.
  •  The advisory council members must be familiar with the constitution of the Association.
  •  The function of the advisory council is primarily dispute resolution to avoid situations such as costly litigation and to cooperate with the election commission when necessary.
  1. Determination of Membership of Management Committee.

A member of the Management Committee shall cease to hold office if he or she;

  •  Becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness or injury of managing and administering his or her own affairs,
  •  Engages in any trade or activity that is deemed to be damaging for the association or brings the association into disrepute,
  •  Is absent without the permission of the Management Committee from 50% of meetings held during the year and the Management Committee resolve that his or her office be vacated, or
  •  Notifies the Management Committee of a wish to resign.

J.  Management Committee Members not to be personally interested

  •  No member of the Management Committee shall acquire any interest in property belonging to the Association or receive remuneration or be interested (otherwise than as a member of the Management Committee) in any contract entered into by Management Committee .

K.  Meetings and proceedings of the Management Committee.

  •  The Management Committee shall hold at least 3 ordinary meetings each year.A special meeting may be convened at any time by the chairman upon not less than two days notice being given to the other members of the Management Committee of the matters to be discussed but if the matters include an appointment of a co-opted member then not less than twenty one days notice must be given . The chairman will be obliged to call a meeting if half of the Management Committee members request a meeting of the Management Committee upon not less than seven days’ notice being given to the other members of the Management Committee.
  •  The chairman shall chair the meetings of the Management Committee. If the chairman is absent from any meeting the members of the Management Committee present shall choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting before any  other business is transacted
  •   There shall be a quorum when at least one third of the number of members, (of which more than half must be elected or selected members).
  •   Every matter shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members of the Management Committee present 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
  •   The Management Committee shall keep minutes in books kept for the purpose of the proceedings at meetings of the Management Committee and any sub- committee.
  •  The Management Committee may from time to time make and alter rules for the conduct of their business, the summoning and conduct of their meetings and the custody of documents.
  •   The Management Committee may appoint one or more sub-Committees consisting of three or more members of the Management Committee for the purpose of making any inquiry or supervising or performing any function or duty which in the opinion of the Management Committee would be more conveniently undertaken or carried out by a sub-Committee provided that all acts and proceedings of any such sub-Committees shall be fully and promptly reported to the Management Committee.
  •  In any special circumstances non members may be appointed to the sub-committee. This sub committee will be accountable to the management committee. 

L.  Receipts and expenditure

  •  The funds of the Association, including all donations and bequests, shall be paid into an account operated by the Management Committee In the name of the Association at such bank as the Management Committee shall from time to time decide. All cheques drawn on the account must be signed by at least two members of the Management Committee.
  •   The funds belonging to the Association shall be applied only in furthering the objects .

M.  Property

  •  Subject to the provisions of the sub-clause (2) of this clause, the Management Committee shall cause the title to;
  •  All land held by or in Association for the Association which is not vested in the Official Custodian for Charities; and
  • All investments held by or on behalf of the Association;
  •   To be vested either in a corporation entitled to act as custodian trustee or in not less than three individuals appointed by them as holding trustees. Holding trustees may be removed by the Management Committee at their pleasure and shall act in accordance with the lawful directions of the Management Committee. Provided they act only in accordance with the directions of the Management Committee, the holding trustees shall not be liable for the acts and defaults of its members.
  •  If a corporation entitled to act as custodian trustee has not been appointed to hold the property of the Association, the Management Committee may permit any investments held by or in Association for the Association to be held in the name of a clearing bank, Association corporation or any stockbroking company which is a member or the International Stock Exchange (or any subsidiary of any such stockbroking company)

as nominee for the Management Committee, and may pay such a nominee reasonable and proper remuneration for acting as such.

N.     Accounts

The Management Committee shall be responsible for;

  •   The keeping of accounting records for the Association,
  •   The preparation of annual statements of account for the Association,
  •   The auditing or independent examination of the statements of account of the Association , and
  •   The transmission of the statements of account of the Association to the members.

O.  Annual report

The Management Committee shall prepare an annual report to be presented at the AGM.

P.  Annual General Meeting

  •   There shall be an annual general meeting of the Association which shall be held within six months of the accounting year

( 1st  February to 31st  January )

  •   Every annual general meeting shall be called by the Management Committee. The  secretary shall give at least twenty one days notice of the annual general meeting to all the members of the Association. All the members of the Association shall be entitled to attend and vote at the meeting.
  •   The chairman shall chair the annual general meeting, but if he or she is not present before any other business is transacted, the persons present shall appoint a chairman of the meeting.
  •   The Management Committee shall present to each annual general meeting the report and accounts of the Association for the preceding year.
  •   Election of the 11 Management Committee members shall be carried out by secret ballot or show of hands, or automated if candidates are no more than 9
  •   Only members who are present at the AGM shall have the right to vote
  •   Apart from the first election of the Association, members who have been members for 90 days will be eligible to vote in the AGM.
  •   The election commissioners shall be selected by the outgoing Management Committee members.

Q. Special General Meetings

The Management Committee may call a special general meeting of the Association at any time . If at least  50% of members request such a meeting in writing stating the business to be considered, the secretary shall call such a meeting. At least twenty one days notice must be given. The notice must state the business to be discussed.

R. Procedure at General Meetings

  •   The secretary or other person specially appointed by the Management Committee shall keep a full record of proceedings at every general meeting of the Association.
  •   There shall be a quorum when at least one third of the number of members of the Association.

S. Notices

Any notice required to be served on any member of the Association shall be in writing and shall be served by the secretary or the Management Committee on any member either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepared letter addressed to such member as his or her last known address in the United Kingdom, and any letter so sent shall be deemed to have been received within ten days of posting

T. Alterations to the constitution

(1). Subject to the following provisions of this clause the Constitution may be altered by a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of the 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.

U. Dissolution

If the Management Committee decides that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association it shall call a meeting of all members of the Association with not less than twenty one days notice ( stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed ) and the Association will be dissolved if the proposal is confirmed by a two thirds majority of those present by voting. The Management Committee shall have power to realise any assets held by or on behalf of the Association. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Association as members of the Association may determine or failing that shall be applied for some other charitable purpose.

Adopted by the members on ________________________

Signed by Chairman (Tohur Ali);                                                        Date:

Signed by Secretary  (Md Zahed Ahmed);                                          Date:

The following people  have been selected to form the managing committee

(founding executive committee) of SBWA (Salisbury Bangladeshi Welfare Association)

Position Name Signature
Chairman Mr Tohur Ali  
Vice Chairman Mr Azharul Hoque  
Secretary. Mr Md Zahed Ahmed  
Assistant Secretary Mr Saleh Choudhury  
Treasurer Mr  Ziaur Rahman  
Assistant Treasurer Mr Amirul Hoque  
Culture /Tourism Secretary  Mr Md Babul Hossain  
Sports / Organising  Secretary Mr Somir Uddin Shahin  
Membership Secretary Mr Belal Ahmed