A discussion meeting on Sunday on current situation of the garment sector organised by three related associations turned into an election campaign programme of ruling Awami League-backed mayoral candidate Annisul Huq. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Bangladesh Textile Mills Association organised the view exchange meeting on the ‘current situation of RMG sector and the way forward’ at Raowa Club in the city. But instead of discussing the situation of RMG sector, the organisers of the meeting started campaigning for Annisul, a former BGMEA president who is a candidate for Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, the election of which is scheduled to be held later this month. ‘On behalf of the business community of the country, I am announcing that the business people would remain by the side of Annisul Huq in the mayoral polls [for Dhaka North City Corporation] ,’ the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed said at the meeting. Kazi Akram is also a member of the advisory council of ruling Awami league. ‘The garment sector got all facilities they wanted from the government as the sector people are united. I believe the united efforts of the sector people will make Annisul Huq a winner,’ he said. BGMEA president Atiqul Islam urged all the garment factory owners who were presented in the meeting to express their support for Annisul through raising their hands. ‘The name of our party is BGMEA and Annisul Huq is the candidate of the BGMEA party,’ he declared. He urged the factory owners to campaign among their workers in support of Annisul and to ensure the presence of garment workers at the polling stations in due time on the election day. In response to the announcement of support, Annisul Huq expressed gratitude to the business leaders and said that he was going to take up a challenge on behalf of the business community. ‘The selection of mayoral candidate for the north Dhaka City Corporation is a big gift to the business community from prime minister Sheikh Hasina,’ said Annisul, also a former president of the FBCCI and BGMEA. The former BGMEA presidents Abdus Salam Murshedy and Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez, and acting BKMEA president Aslam Sunny also voiced their support for Annisul. Nitol-Niloy Group chairman Abdul Matlub Ahmad said, ‘Annis is the right person as mayoral candidate and we will remain by the side of him.’ The BTMA vice president Fazlul Haque also expressed his support for Annisul Huq on behalf of the trade body. Asif Ibrahim, a former president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged the business people in all segments to extend their support for Annisul Huq. Industry insiders said that though the title of the programmee was ‘Current situation of RMG sector and the way forward,’ the event was basically organised for the election campaign in support of Annisul Huq. At the initial stage, the apparel sector leaders decided to organise the event as the orientation meeting for Annisul Huq as mayoral candidate but later they changed the title of the programme considering the electoral code of conduct, they said.
Source: https://newagebd.net/111177/view-exchange-meeting-on-rmg-sector-turns-into-election-campaign-for-annisul/#sthash.VFGD7z6A.dpuf
