With the election of apex garment makers’ body of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), scheduled to be held in April next year, Sammilita Parishad, a platform comprising a section of the trade body has started its preparations for the same.
As per media reports, in connection with the same a meeting was held at Dhaka’s Giant Business Tower where ex-Presidents of BGMEA including the current Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, Abdus Salam Murshedy, Mostafa Golam Quddus and Kutub Uddin took part while former Presidents of the trade body, Siddiqur Rahman and Md. Atiqul Islam participated virtually and addressed the meeting.
In the said meeting, a group of the trade body’s members including the ex-Presidents of BGMEA reportedly announced the name of Faruque Hassan, the Managing Director of the Giant Group, as the panel leader.
Underlining that all ex-Presidents of BGMEA elected from Sammilita Parishad took part in the meeting, Faruque Hassan reportedly told media that with the Saturday’s meeting, the Sammilita Parishad has started its preparations for the upcoming elections, which was attended by over 300 members of the trade body.
Traditionally, Sammilita Parishad and the Forum, the two panels of the apex garment makers’ body contest the BGMEA elections. However, to avoid elections last time, leaders of these two shared the Directorships of the trade body amongst themselves.
Meanwhile interacting with the media, Abdus Salam Murshedy reportedly stated that ‘electing leaders through negotiation without voting in the previous terms has harmed BGMEA as the selected leaders failed to show accountability to the members in times of the crisis’.