76 to vie for 35 posts in BGMEA polls

A total of 76 candidates will contest for 35 posts of board of directors of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) in the upcoming biennial elections for 2025-2027 term.

Two platforms-Sammilita Parishad and Forum-- announced their final lists of candidatures with 35 each while another platform namely Oikkyo Parishad will contest the election with six candidates.

The BGMEA election for the 2025-27 term is scheduled to take place on May 31.

When asked, a member of the BGMEA election board confirmed that a total of 76 candidates had been selected from a preliminary list of 93 while the final list of comfitures would be published next Thursday (May 08).

Earlier, candidates from Sammilita Parishad and Forum panels submitted their nomination papers on April 26 and six candidates from Oikkyo Parishad submitted their nomination papers on April 24.

Khaled Md Faisal Iqbal, who is contesting under Oikkyo Parishad, said though they could not announce full panel for the elections, they want to represent the board, if elected.

Sources said, though leaders from the main two panels-Sammilita Parishad and Forum -- were in negotiations to escape elections and jointly run the activities of the apparel makers' apex body for the next term, such initiative went in vain.

According to the final list, a total of 1,864 voters--1,561 in Dhaka and 303 in Chattogram -are expected to cast their votes in this year's election.

The BGMEA started journey in early 1980's with only with only 12 members while the apex body has now around 4,500 members.

About 40 per cent of the total BGMEA members are from knitwear and sweater manufactures while woven garment manufactures represent the remaining 60 per cent.

Bangladesh's RMG makers fetched US$36.15 billion worth of export earnings in the last fiscal year while the country earned U$16.86 billion from woven and US$19.28 billion from knitwear items, available figures revealed.

munni_fe@yahoo.com