With the upcoming biennial election of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) just round the corner and the two panels, namely the Sammilita Parishad and Forum, all set to put in their best, rivalry between the two camps has, reportedly, increased over the issues of voter list and the venues.
Media reports maintained this while adding that as per the schedule, the voting will be held at the BGMEA office in Chittagong and Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden hotel from 10am to 5pm on 4 April 2021.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media, the Managing Director of Hannan Group, ABM Shamsuddin, who is heading the Forum panel, reportedly, alleged that the Parishad panel was spoiling the environment by seeking to shift the venue from the Radisson hotel to the under-construction building of BGMEA in Uttara, while also opposing the making of the voter list with biometric details.
…These activities indicate that they have an ulterior motive…, reportedly, underlined Shamsuddin while adding that unlike the members of the rival panel, who he said were obsessed about holding political positions as ministers, ‘we want to focus on negotiations for the industry and the owners…’
The Managing Director of the Design and Source, Jahangir Alam, who had formed a separate panel called Swadhinata Parishad before the 2019 election and even hinted at contesting in this election but finally decided to back the Sammilita Parishad (which has picked him as a candidate of their own), has, reportedly, agreed that the voter list should have been based on biometric details even as he maintained,“My main demand was election, and it is happening this time…”
