FE REPORT
The biennial election to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) will be held on May 28.
The apex trade body of the country's largest forex earning apparel sector will elect a new board of directors for 35 posts for the 2025-27 term. The election board declared the election schedule on Saturday.
Earlier on February 27, the BGMEA support committee at a meeting formed a three-member election board headed by Mohammad Iqbal, former chairman of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC).
It also formed an election appellate board comprising three members headed by Syed Nasim Manzur, president of the Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh, and managing director of Apex Footwear Limited.
According to the election schedule, members can pay annual subscription fee until March 29.
Candidates can submit nomination papers until April 24 while the deadline for their withdrawal is May 06.
Usually, two panels-the Sammilito Parishad and the Forum-contest the BGMEA election.
Earlier on October 20, the interim government appointed Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice-Chairman Md Anwar Hossain as the administrator to the BGMEA, dissolving the then board to hold a free and fair election within 120 days and recently his tenure has been extended for four months until June 16 this year.
Earlier on August 24, Designtex Group Managing Director Khandoker Rafiqul Islam was elected BGMEA president following the resignation of SM Mannan Kochi.
Mannan Kochi was elected BGMEA president on March 14 for the 2024-26 term.
The BGMEA board then elected Rafiqul Islam as president of the trade body for the remaining period of the term.
The BGMEA election was held on March 9 last year which drew controversy over alleged tampering of the voter lists and accusations that the Sheikh Hasina-led government influenced its results.
Meantime, leaders of one of the BGMEA panels-Forum-at a view-exchange meeting and Iftar party held on Saturday in the capital demanded separate ministry for the country's textile and apparel industry to help devise required policy to address local and global challenges.
Speaking at the event, Forum Panel leader Mahmud Hassan Khan said the sector needs policy support for a certain period.
munni_fe@yahoo.com
