The Faruque Hassan-led board of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) took charge of office on Tuesday as the apparel sector faces tough challenges amid the coronavirus outbreak. The outgoing board handed over the charge at a programme in Dhaka. The new board will be at the helm of the trade body for the 2021-23 term. BGMEA President Faruque, the Managing Director of Giant Group, succeeds Rubana Huq, the first woman to lead the body. He faces big challenges as the world struggles to free itself from the grip of coronavirus which has hit the global economy hard. The apparel sector saw orders of billions of dollars being cancelled during the pandemic last year. Thousands of jobs in the factories were also lost. Also read: New BGMEA office bearers announced Rubana Huq described 2020 as an alarming year for the sector. The situation was improving gradually when the coronavirus situation worsened suddenly in Bangladesh. Continuing operations braving the odds and maintaining Bangladesh's position as the second-largest exporter of RMG goods after China will be some of the key challenges of the Faruque-led board. "I want to unite the BGMEA to face the challenges and help the sector grow," he had after the announcement of the results of the election held on April 4. Sammilita Parishad led by Faruque won 24 directors’ posts out of 35 while the opposition panel, Forum, bagged 11 posts. Also read: Faruque Hasan-led Sammilito Parishad wins BGMEA election Other office-bearers of the apex trade body are – Syed Nazrul Islam (Chattogram), first vice president; SM Mannan Kochi, senior vice president; Shahidullah Azim, vice president; Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, vice president (finance); Miran Ali, vice president; Md Nasiruddin, vice president and Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, vice president (Chattogram). This year, 1,996 BGMEA members out of 2,314, cast their votes. Of them, 1,604 votes from Dhaka and 392 from Chattogram were cast in the election.

The biennial election of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is going to be held on Sunday at the Radisson Blu hotel in Dhaka. Two panels are contesting the powerful trade body's election this year. Earlier, Shadhinata Parishad merged with the Sammilita Parishad led by Managing Director of Giant Group Faruque Hassan. On the other hand, Chairman of Hannan Group ABM Shamsuddin is leading the Forum panel as its candidate for president. Current BGMEA president Dr Rubana Huq is contesting as a panel member of Forum. Also read: BGMEA election: Sammilita Parishad announces manifesto Former Vice President of BGMEA Mohammad Nasir said a total of 14 polling booths have been set up to cast votes from 9am to 7pm - an extra 3 hours over the usual to allow COVID-19 health protocols to be maintained. “A total of 1853 voters are in Dhaka and 461 in Chattogram. New board will take over on April 20. Five Vice Presidents in Dhaka and two in Chattogram will be elected in the election,” he also said. Also read: BGMEA Election: Forum candidates pledge to work selflessly for industry The candidates for each panel are numbered serially on each ballot: 1-35 are the Forum candidates and from 36-70 for Sammilita Parishid in the election.

The Sammilita Parishad on Tuesday announced its manifesto for BGMEA election for 2021-23 term.

All the candidates nominated for BGMEA Election-2021 by Forum, the panel with one of the strongest coalitions of the country's leading apparel exporters behind it, have pledged to work selflessly for the advancement of the RMG industry.

 

The Board of Directors of BGMEA has constituted an Election Board for holding the BGMEA Election 2021-2023 scheduled for April 4.