Abul Kalam made panel leader of Sammilito Parishad

Chaity Group managing director and chief executive officer Md Abul Kalam has formally been announced as the panel leader of Sammilito Parishad, a panel of the country's garment makers.
The announcement was made at an event held at a city hotel on Thursday night ahead of the upcoming election to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
BGMEA former presidents Faruque Hassan, Redwan Ahmed, Mostofa Golam Quddus, Kazi Moniruzzaman, SM Fazlul Hoque and Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, among others, were present at the event.
The Sammilito Parishad and the Forum, another panel, traditionally compete for the BGMEA election.
Earlier, on November 20, the Forum announced Rising Fashions managing director Mahmud Hasan Khan as its panel leader.
However, on October 20, the commerce ministry dissolved the BGMEA Board in line with provision 17 of the Trade Organizations Act, 2022 and appointed Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) vice-chairman Md Anwar Hossain as BGMEA administrator.
According to the commerce ministry circular, the administrator will hold a free and fair election within 120 days and hand over the responsibilities to the newly elected body of the BGMEA.
On August 24, Designtex Group Managing Director Khandoker Rafiqul Islam was elected as BGMEA president following the resignation of SM Mannan Kochi.
Mannan Kochi from the Sammilito Parishad was elected BGMEA president on March 14 for the 2024-26 term.
The BGMEA board then elected Rafiqul Islam as the president of the trade body for the remaining period of the term.
In August, during a press conference, a group of BGMEA members, led by one of its panel Forum, demanded the dissolution of the current board of the trade body, alleging that BGMEA failed to provide proper directives to its members, who faced difficulties operating factories during the student movement, and especially after the turmoil stemming from the government changeover, labour unrest and floods.
They also alleged that the BGMEA election held in February this year was marred by irregularities and Mr Kochi had good relations with the deposed premier and was involved in carrying out attacks on students during their movement in July and August.

[email protected]