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Mahmud Hasan Khan, managing director of Rising Fashions, has formally been announced as the panel leader of Forum, a panel of the country’s garment makers.
The announcement was made on Wednesday at an event held at a Dhaka city hotel ahead of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association’s (BGMEA) upcoming elections.
President of Forum Abdus Salam, General Secretary Rashid Ahmed Hossaini, and former Presidents of BGMEA Dr Rubana Huq and Anwarul Alam Chowdhury, among others, were present at the event.
Forum and Sammilito Parishad, another panel, traditionally compete in the BGMEA elections.
On October 20, the Commerce Ministry dissolved the Board of BGMEA in line with Provision 17 of the Trade Organizations Act, 2022 and appointed Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice Chairman Md Anwar Hossain as the administrator of BGMEA.
According to the commerce ministry circular, the administrator will hold a free and fair election within 120 days and hand over responsibilities to the newly elected body of BGMEA.
On August 24, Designtex Group Managing Director Khandoker Rafiqul Islam was elected president of BGMEA following the resignation of SM Mannan Kochi.
Mr Kochi was elected BGMEA president on March 14 for the 2024-26 term.
The BGMEA board then elected Rafiqul Islam president of the trade body for the remaining period of the term.
In August, during a press conference, a group of BGMEA members, led by one of its panel Forum, demanded the dissolution of the current board of the trade body, alleging that the BGMEA failed to provide proper directives to its members, who faced difficulties operating factories during the student-led movement, especially after the turmoil stemming from the government change, labour unrest, and flood situation.
They also alleged that the BGMEA election held in February this year was marred by irregularities, and Mr Kochi had good relations with deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and was involved in carrying out attacks on students during their July-August movement.