Several Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) members have demanded the resignation of SM Mannan Kochi, the organisation’s president, as well as his board of directors.
They described the March election as involving “unprecedented rigging” and demanded a new election with a transparent voter list. They made the demand at a press conference held under the banner of “General Members of BGMEA” at a hotel in the capital on Monday.
They also alleged that the current president, who is the general secretary of the Dhaka Metropolitan North Awami League, fired on a crowd of students during the recent student movement. As a result, they argued that he should not be in charge of an organisation like the BGMEA.
Reading out a written statement, Inamul Haq Khan Bablu, a former BGMEA director, said, “As vested interests have controlled the BGMEA for many years, its normal functioning is now in question.”
“In the last BGMEA elections held on 9th March, SM Mannan Kochi came to power through unprecedented rigging and vote fraud with the help of his cadre forces,” he said, adding, “Former Member of Parliament Abdus Salam Murshedy, Awami League Secretary for Industry and Commerce Affairs Siddiqur Rahman, and Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqur Rahman assisted him.”
The last BGMEA election was contested by two panels – “Sammilita Parishad” and “Forum”. The SM Mannan Kochi-led Sammilita Parishad won all 35 directorships, which was an unusual outcome.
However, the Forum panel did not file any complaints about election irregularities following the election; despite being organised by general members, the majority of those in attendance were members of the Forum panel. When asked why no complaint was filed regarding the election, Wega Fashion Sweater Ltd.’s managing director, Mesbah Uddin Ali, responded that they were afraid of the previous regime and could not speak out.
“Besides, before the election, when a writ was filed in the court regarding 400 fake voters, the then attorney general stood on behalf of them [Sammilita Parishad], and our petition was stayed and after which elections were held.”
In addition, he declared that the BGMEA’s arbitration committee is corrupt and that bribery was engaged in the acquisition of utility declarations (UD).