Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is going to select its leadership for at least next two terms snatching away the voting rights of its members, sources said. The country’s apex apparel body represents the largest foreign currency earner readymade garment (RMG) industry. The two groups-Sammilito Parishad and Forum-that compete for its leadership, in a meeting held on June 25 last came to a mutual consensus that they would select a single panel and the office-bearers for next two terms. All former presidents of BGMEA from both the groups were present in the meeting. The meeting formed a joint Board comprising BGMEA’s present and all former presidents but the name of the panel is yet to be finalised, they added. BGMEA vice president Md Shahidullah Azim and some of its former presidents confirmed it. “We have reached a consensus that no biennial election will take place for BGMEA leadership,” Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury, a former president of BGMEA told the FE. According to the consensus, next president would be selected from Sammilito Parishad for the first two years while the chief would be selected from Forum for next two years’ tenure, he explained. Currently BGMEA is being run by a 27-member elected Board of Directors the members of which will be increased to 35. Four Vice Presidents – three from the capital city and one from the port city having important portfolios will assist the President. The meeting also decided that for next term, three vice presidents from Dhaka and one from Chittagong would be selected from Sammilito Parishad and the Forum would have three vice presidents – two from Dhaka and one from Chittagong, said Mr Azim. The same would just be reversed for the second term, he added. Both the leaders, however, said they are yet to select the individuals. The Board will select them through discussion in line with the potential of interested candidates. Explaining the reasons behind the consensus, both the leaders argued that BGMEA needs strong leadership to face the present and future challenges due to the ongoing safety initiatives by the western retailers and the changes in the business dimensions. “We are yet to overcome the challenges surfaced after the Rana Plaza building collapse and more new ones are expected to emerge following the changes in the business patterns,” Mr Chowdhury said. Bangladesh is going to face tough competition as bilateral agreements among some countries including India and Vietnam with the EU and the US are expected to be signed, he said. Moreover, there are issues of labour, decent wage, US GSP (generalised system of preferences) and Bangladesh’s mid-income country status, he added. “We need to work together to help the sector to meet the challenges and flourish further,” he said. Replying to a question as to what would happen after the two terms, Mr Azim said the Board would select the office-bearers from the interested candidates. “If anyone wants, election might take place,” sources said. Industry insiders, however, expressed doubts whether the consensus would continue for long as the general members might not accept it for a long time. There was similar consensus in previous years too especially during the regime of care taker government, they said adding that such processes weaken accountability. The tenure of the present BGMEA leadership, led by Md Atiqul Islam, has been extended to September and the election was scheduled to be held on September 8 next, sources said. But the mutual understanding between the two groups ruined the typical process of electing leadership by general members, some of the members alleged. BGMEA started with only 12 members in 1978 and presently has around 4,222 member factories, according to its official website. Around 40 per cent of BGMEA member factories are knitwear and sweater manufacturers, and the rest 60 per cent are woven garment manufacturers. BGMEA member factories account for 100 per cent woven garment exports of the country and more than 95 per cent of sweater exports, while around half of the light knitwear exports are made by them, according the website.
