Garment industry owners in Chittagong have raised concerns over the actions of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) administrator, alleging that he is operating outside the bounds of the Trade Organisations Act and the organisation’s constitution. The accusations follow the dissolution of BGMEA’s elected council, leaving the appointed administrator to manage the association in what the owners describe as a law-violating manner.
In a letter dated 2nd January, former BGMEA First Vice-President SM Nurul Haque urged Administrator Md Anwar Hossain to refrain from overstepping his jurisdiction. The communication, which was received by the BGMEA administrator’s office on Saturday, expressed that while an administrator can oversee operations, he should not run a business-oriented organisation like BGMEA.
Haque highlighted that this unprecedented situation in BGMEA’s 35-year history has led to the administrator pursuing an agenda beneficial to a specific group, further exacerbating challenges within the garment sector. He cited the formation of a 10-member “support committee” on 24th October 2024, which was established without adequate consultation and was influenced by a particular faction within the organisation.
The letter also criticised the administrator’s appointment of the audit firm Huda Vasi Chowdhury & Co for a membership file audit, costing Taka 14,00,000, without following the open tender process mandated by the organization’s rules. This, according to the letter, is a misuse of funds and outside the administrator’s authority.
Additionally, the letter pointed out that the administrator has ignored a legal notice dated 25th November 2024, and a subsequent certification from a senior lawyer, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, indicating that his actions are unlawful. It was also noted that the administrator has caused financial loss by hiring an external law firm for legal consultation despite BGMEA having an in-house legal adviser.
The signatories of the letter questioned the rationale behind appointing another law firm, emphasising that BGMEA operates under strict regulations, including the Trade Organisations Act 2022 and the organisation’s own constitution. They criticised the administrator’s decision to impose a membership renewal deadline of 31st January as unreasonable, given that renewals are typically continuous throughout the year.
