Roadmap unveiled again for BGMEA elections

The readymade garment entrepreneurs’ lobby BGMEA has started the process to elect their leaders after the term of the current board of directors was extended thrice.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 14 Jan 2019, 07:14 PM
Updated : 14 Jan 2019, 07:47 PM

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association on Monday announced that the election to 35 posts of director will be held on Apr 6.

It has asked the members to pay up their fees by Feb 5. The deadline for nomination submission is Feb 28 and withdrawal is Mar 6.

By the end of 2017, the association announced a schedule with Mar 7 last year as the voting date but the election was cancelled.

The RMG entrepreneurs have been electing the BGMEA leaders from two councils - Sammilita Parishad and Forum. Generally, the BGMEA elects office-bearers for two years.

In 2015, Siddiqur Rahman of the Sammilito Parishad was picked as president of the association following a compromise reached between the two sides.

The Sammilito Parishad was supposed to lead the association for the term from 2015 while one selected from the Forum was to be in charge for the next term athes per the understanding.

As the Siddiqur-led board got three extensions, a new council called the Swadhinata Parishad emerged a year ago.

Headed by Zahangir Alam, it seeks to end the culture of “election of compromise”.

“Allegations are there that the Sammilito Parishad and Forum authorities are trying to agree terms to pick up the leaders. We are trying to ensure that an election is held by fielding a large panel," Zahangir, the managing director of DSL Group, told bdnews24.com.

The association has turned into an important trade body over the years and is contributing immensely to the economy, as the garment sector accounts for more than 80 percent of Bangladesh's total exports.

The Sammilito Parishad wants Siddiqur as its BGMEA president candidate again while its late president Annisul Huq’s wife Rubana Huq is the Forum frontrunner, according to BGMEA members.

When contacted, Siddiqur told bdnews24.com that members of their panel will be selected following discussions.

On being asked whether he will take part in the election, he said, “It will be decided later.”

Election Board Secretary Rafiqul Islam told bdnews24.com that the board was formed on Jan 5.

Former president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association Jahangir Alamin, President of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries or MCCI Nihad Kabir and former ICAB chairman ASM Nayeem are the members of the election board.