BGMEA goes to election on May 28

Aspiring candidates have until Apr 24 to submit nominations

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, or BGMEA, will hold elections on May 28 to elect 35 directors for its 2025-2027 governing board.

In a press release on Saturday, the apparel exporters’ group announced that voter nominations can be submitted until Apr 6, while nomination papers for director positions will be accepted until Apr 24.

The withdrawal deadline for nominees is May 6.

Members must clear any outstanding subscription by Mar 29 to vote, the statement read.

For further details regarding the election, members have been advised to contact the secretary of the BGMEA election board and the director of the Export Promotion Bureau, or EPB.

Following the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5, 2024, BGMEA President SM Mannan Kachi went into hiding.

He had previously served as the general secretary of Awami League’s Dhaka North unit.

In his absence, Senior Vice President Khondoker Rafiqul Islam was assigned the role of acting president.

However, demands surfaced for the dissolution of the BGMEA board after Aug 5, 2024.

In response, the government disbanded the board on Oct 20, 2024, and appointed EPB Vice Chairman Md Anwar Hossain as administrator.

Anwar Hossain was tasked with organising the election within 120 days, but the process faced delays due to electoral roll updates and instability in the apparel sector.

The last BGMEA election was held on Mar 9, 2024, for the 2024-2026 term, where all candidates from the Sammilito Parishad panel secured victory.

A total of 70 candidates contested for 35 director positions in Dhaka and Chattogram, with 26 directors elected from Dhaka and nine from Chattogram.

Kochi, managing director of Seha Design Bangladesh Limited, secured his position as a director with 1,510 votes.