BGMEA board elects Khandoker Rafiqul as new president after Kochi’s resignation

Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, managing director of Designtex Knitwear Ltd, will serve as the president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

The apparel apex body BGMEA’s board at an emergency meeting held on Saturday at a city hotel elected Mr Islam as the new president after SM Mannan Kochi – who was elected BGMEA president on March 14 for the term of 2024-26 – resigned on the same day, according to a statement.

Khandoker Rafiqul Islam was the senior vice president of BGMEA board and he will now be replaced by Abdullah Hil Rakib, managing director of 4A Yarn Dyeing LTd.

The meeting also elected Asif Ashraf, managing director of Urmi Garments Ltd, who was a director of the existing board.

The statement added that Mr Kochi resigned from the post of president citing personal reasons and his illness.

The resignation of Mr Kochi, also the general secretary of the Dhaka North City Awami League, followed that of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 05 amid a mass uprising.

Earlier on August 12, a group of BGMEA members led by Forum – a panel that contested the BGMEA election, demanded that Mr Kochi resign and dissolve his board due to the controversial role during the recent students’ quota-reforms movement.

They also alleged the BGMEA also failed to provide proper directives to its members that are facing difficulties in operating during the movements and especially after the tumult stemming from the government change

At the August 12 press conference, Inamul Haq Khan Bablu, a former BGMEA director, alleged Mr Kochi opened fire on students during their protest on August 4.

He demanded immediate resignation and dissolution of the board and called for the appointment of an interim and non-political board to conduct a fair election with fresh voter list.

Munni_fe@yahoo.com