Voting has begun in the biennial election of the Bangladesh Film Artiste Association, though the polling centre got off to a quiet start with few voters turning up in the first hour.
Polls opened at 9:30am on Friday and will run until 6pm, with 573 members choosing their leadership for 2026-2028 between two competing panels.
The election commission repeatedly announced over the public address system that the centre was near-empty and urged voters to come in.
Actor Ejajul Islam, a regular early voter, cast his ballot at 9:45am.
He said he came first thing as Fridays are his busiest day at his medical clinic.
"Let the election end smoothly," he said. "After the election we are all one. Let there be no division."
Two panels are contesting. Fighter and producer Arman Khan is running for president alongside actress Rumana Islam Mukti for general secretary.
The opposing panel fields Shiba Shanu for president and Joy Chowdhury for general secretary.
The Arman-Mukti panel includes actress Nuton and negative-role actor Ilias Kobra for vice-president, Rina Khan for joint general secretary, Chunnu for organising secretary, MA Parvez Chowdhury Abir for international affairs secretary, Russell Mia for office and publicity secretary, Maruf Akib for culture and sports secretary, and negative-role actor Kamruzzaman Kamal for treasurer.
Executive member candidates are Manas Bandyopadhyay, Dulari, Raka, Sharmin Akhter, Latif known as Chita, Nasrin, Sushanta, Shahin Comedy, Badal Sheikh, Arman Khan and Shamim Khan known as Chikon Ali.
The Shanu-Joy panel fields DA Tayeb and Rozina for vice-president, Subrata for joint general secretary, Sony Rahman for organising secretary, Poly for international affairs secretary, Mushfiqur Rahman Kakon for sports and cultural secretary, Jackie Alamgir for office and publicity secretary and Jadu Azad for treasurer.