The government extended again the tenure of the BGMEA board of directors by one year on Monday, bypassing the election that was supposed to be held on March 07 next, sources said.They said the move came one day after a request by the present board of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).BGMEA vice president Mohammed Nasir confirmed the extension until March 22 next year, saying that the government extended the tenure considering the present situation and challenges of the readymade garment sector.In a letter to the commerce ministry on Sunday, BGMEA president Md Siddiqur Rahman sought the extension for bringing necessary changes in the memorandum of the association in line with the latest amendment to the Trade Organisations Rules.Sources said that former BGMEA presidents held a meeting on January 26 with the commerce minister, when they discussed the present situation and upcoming challenges of the sector and sought the extension.The trade body represents the country’s largest foreign currency earner readymade garment (RMG) industry.Earlier, the board of directors got an extension for six months, which expired on September 21 last year, to complete the relocation process of its present headquarters in the city.The existing board under the leadership of incumbent president Md Siddiqur Rahman took the responsibility of the office of the trade body for a two-year term on September 22, 2015 through a negotiation process.The negotiation was made between two groups — Sammilito Parishad and Forum — that compete for leadership of the trade body.According to the negotiation, the present president has been selected from the Sammilito Parishad for the first two years while the leader is supposed to be selected from the Forum for the next two-year term.BGMEA is being run by a 35-member board of directors, including seven vice presidents.BGMEA started with only 12 members in the 1980’s and presently has around 4,300 member factories, according to its official website.Around 40 per cent of BGMEA member factories are knitwear and sweater manufactures, and the rest 60 per cent are woven garment manufactures.The 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 to the website.
