Hasina had asked BGMEA not to build its headquarters on canal

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she had asked garment industry lobby BGMEA to not build its headquarters on the water body in Dhaka’s Hatirjheel.

She recalled her advice while opening the new headquarters of the BGMEA at Uttara through a videoconference from the Ganabhaban on Wednesday. 

The old building was constructed in 2001 when she was not in power.

Ordered by the High Court, the BGMEA is to demolish its 16-storey headquarters which constructed by flouting the law meant to protect water-bodies.

The building is hindering the flow of water through the canal at Begunbari and hampering the Hatirjheel Beautification Project. The court called it ‘a cancer’.

After the court orders, the BGMEA constructed its new 13-storey building on a 1.81-acre land at Uttara.

Recalling the allocation of a piece of land adjacent to Sonargaon Hotel for the BGMEA during her 1996-2000 tenure, Hasina said, “I still remember it clearly. I myself went there to lay the foundation stone.

“I requested them time and again not to construct the building by clogging the canal. Unfortunately, later on I saw the building constructed on the canal…even a bridge was built to connect the building!”

“Now the BGMEA is to demolish the building as per the court orders. We don’t want any obstacles to trade and commerce… our garments are being exported across the world. It is making great contribution to huge foreign currency earnings,” she said.

The Supreme Court had directed the BGMEA to complete demolition by Sept 12, 2017. An additional time extension was granted on Oct 8, 2017 following an appeal. The court set Apr 12, 2019 as the new deadline for the demolition.