Dhaka Bank Chairman Abdul Hai Sarkar was elected as the new chairman of the Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) during the association`s board meeting in the capital on Monday.

Abdul Hai succeeded Nazrul Islam Mazumdar, who held the position for 17 years. His appointment comes following a significant leadership change within the association.

Abdul Mannan, chairman of First Security Islami Bank, and Romo Rouf Chowdhury, chairman of Bank Asia, were elected as vice-chairmen during the meeting.

Sarker, a businessman in the textile sector, has served four terms as president of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, or BTMA, and was also a former vice-chairman of BAB, the organisation of bank owners.

Meanwhile, Nazrul Islam Mazumder, the former chairman of EXIM Bank and founder of the NASSA Group, had been the chairman of BAB since January 2008.

Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, the Bangladesh Bank had removed Nazrul Islam from his position as director and chairman of EXIM Bank. For this reason, he lost his post at BAB.