BGMEA polls: Swadhinata Parishad claims candidates were attacked

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturing and Exporters Association’s (BGMEA) Swadhinata Parishad has claimed its members were attacked when they went to submit their nomination papers for the organisation’s board of directors election.

Swadhinata Parishad Convener Jahangir Alam claimed the papers confirming the receipt of the nomination forms was snatched from them in the ‘attack’ at the BGMEA building on Saturday.

But the BGMEA election management authority says it has yet to receive a complaint over the matter.

The election to the board of directors is to be held on Apr 6. The election is coming five years after the last one, despite the two-year terms of the BGMEA board of directors.

The Md Siddiqur Rahman-led board’s tenure was extended several times by the Ministry of Commerce.

The Apr 6 elections will have polls for the 35 director posts. According to the schedule, Saturday is the last day to submit nominations, while Mar 6 is the last day to withdraw them.

During the BGMEA elections in 2015 two rival factions – the Sammilito Parishad and the Forum came together under a compromise to form the board of directors with Siddiqur Rahman as the president.

The Swadhinata Parishad is attempting to challenge this panel.

Jahangir Alam told bdnews24.com on Saturday that at least 40 factory owners had gone to the BGMEA building to submit their nominations and were attacked on the way back.

He said a few of the attackers had been identified.

“They are not factory owners, but they have been hanging around the BGMEA for the past three to four years.”

He suggested that BGMEA members were behind the attack.

“The garment owners know very well who these attackers support. But I do not wish to name that at this time.”

A member of the election management board has been informed about the attack, he said.

When contacted, election board Secretary Rafiqul Islam told bdnews24.com:

“Many people came to submit their nominations today. The members of the Swadhinata Parishad came as well. We have not received any allegations regarding an attack on anyone. We have not received any reports on the matter either.”

The Swadhinata Parishad has declared a protest programme at Karwan Bazar on Saturday afternoon to protest the attack.