A decision has been taken to hold re-election to the post of deputy director-general of International Organisation of Migration, IOM.

Bangladesh’s foreign secretary, M Shahidul Huq, is competing for the post. At the yes-no vote held in Geneva on 26 June, he got 86 votes in favour with 57 against. In the election, 144 members voted with 143 votes cast.

Source says to become DDG, 96 yes votes are required; Till Friday, the voting went to the fifth round where Shahidul Alam got 75 and his opponent bagged 73. The re-scheduled election was set for 26 June.

IOM is the agency which oversees global migration and it’s important for Bangladesh, since around 1 crore Bangladeshis are working overseas, who send back more than $ 15 billion back to Bangladesh as a remittance.

The other countries competing were Sudan, The Philippines, Afghanistan and Jordan. In the first round, Alam was second which remained till fourth round but when Afghanistan withdrew their candidate, Alam came to the first position.

Alam had worked at IOM in the past, leaving it to join as foreign secretary of Bangladesh in 2013. When Alam went on LPR last December, his tenure was extended by a year. Last year, he was promoted to senior secretary of the government.