A section of BGMEA members call for fresh election of the association

A number of members of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have called for the resignation of the current president, SM Mannan Kochi, and his board of directors. 

They described the March election as involving “unprecedented rigging” and are demanding a new election with a transparent voter list.

They made the demand at a press conference held under the banner of “General Members of BGMEA” at a hotel in the capital today (12 August).

They also alleged that the current president, who is the general secretary of the Dhaka Metropolitan North Awami League, fired on a crowd of students during the recent student movement. As a result, they argued that he should not be in charge of an organisation like the BGMEA.

Inamul Haq Khan Bablu, a former BGMEA director, read out a written statement and said, “As the BGMEA has been controlled by vested interests for many years, its normal functioning is now in question.”

“In the last BGMEA elections held on 9 March, SM Mannan Kochi came to power through unprecedented rigging and vote fraud with the help of his cadre forces,” he said, adding, “Former Member of Parliament Abdus Salam Murshedy, Awami League Secretary for Industry and Commerce Affairs Siddiqur Rahman, and Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqur Rahman assisted him.” 

The last BGMEA election was contested by two panels – ‘Sammilita Parishad’ and ‘Forum’. The SM Mannan Kochi-led Sammilita Parishad won all 35 directorships, which was an unusual outcome.

However, after the election, the Forum panel did not make any complaints about election irregularities. In fact, Forum panel leader Faisal Samad greeted Kochi with flower bouquets after the election.

Though the press conference was held under the banner of general members, it was primarily attended by members of the Forum panel.

In response to a question on why no complaint was made about the election, Mesbah Uddin Ali, managing director of Wega Fashion Sweater Limited said, “We could not say anything because of the fear of the previous regime. Besides, before the election, when a writ was filed in the court regarding 400 fake voters, the then attorney general stood on behalf of them [Sammilita Parishad], and our petition was stayed and after which elections were held.”

He also alleged that there was bribery involved in obtaining utility declarations (UD) and claimed that the BGMEA’s arbitration committee is corrupt.

The press conference was abruptly ended when questions continued to arise on allegations that some of those present at the press conference, as well as some members of the ‘Forum’ panel, received benefits from the previous regime.