Hatem new BKMEA president as Selim resigns

Mohammad Hatem, managing director of MB Knit Fashion Ltd, will now serve as the president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).

Selim resigned from his president and board director positions, citing personal reasons and illness, BKMEA Vice President Fazlee Shamim Ehsan told The Business Standard today (25 August) following a board meeting. Selim joined the meeting virtually and announced his resignation.

No competitive election has been held at the association since Selim Osman was elected BKMEA president for the first time on 22 July 2010.

However, the association followed the election process before every election, with only one panel submitting their nomination papers. 

The resignation of Selim, who was also a member of parliament from Narayangonj-5, follows the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government amid a mass uprising earlier this month. 

“Our priority will be to work with the central bank to resolve financing issues for the industry and working with NBR to minimise the customs law and procedures related to some issues,” Hatem told TBS in an immediate reaction.  

“We will also work with the government to resume talk with EU trade negotiations to continue preferential trade benefits in that trade zone,” he added.

Hatem said they will also work for the US market.

In an emergency board meeting, the BGMEA board also elected Fatullah Apparels Ltd Managing Director Fazlee Shamim and Micro Fibre Group Managing Director Engr Md Shamsuzzaman, as its executive president and vice president, respectively. 

Hatem was the first member of this association, and he served as director of the association from December 1996 to 20 April 2002. 

He later served six terms as vice president and the last one and a half terms as executive president. 

Ehsan served BKMEA as vice president for the last five years. Before that, he also served as director for several terms. 

Shamsuzzaman also served three terms as director of the association.