Saturday, April 27, 2024
The Bangladesh Garment Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) election board has rescheduled the polls amid controversy, and a strong demand for a joint election for both Dhaka and Chattogram regions.
The apex body has 21 director posts, and five reserved for the Chattogram region. Usually, the apex body’s members elect the directors through a combined voting system. Other associations also follow the same method.
As per the first schedule of BGAPMEA, Dhaka’s members will elect the region’s 16 directors and Chittagong’s members elect their five directors. Members of the apex body have opposed the procedure, and asked the administrator to follow the previous tradition.
However, in the revised schedule, the BGAPMEA did not change the election process. On the other hand, a segment of the members filed a case against the apex body’s election procedure, while other leaders blamed that the segment are the administrator’s “men.”
BGAPMEA leaders blamed that the administrator and Senior Assistant Secretary Mohammad Moshiur Rahman did not want election at all, and that is why he introduced controversial rules, and his men filed the application to stop the election procedure.
His intention is to renew his tenure for another term, while already six months extended after regular six months, they claimed. They also blamed that the administrator is not cooperating with them in doing business, which caused them to suffer financial losses.
The Business Post tried to reach out the administrator Moshiur Rahman for comments on the matter, but he did not respond.
He, however, rejected the allegations against him, and told reporters, “I am trying to follow the commerce ministry’s guideline. Some leaders, who are anti-government, are spreading rumours.”
Meanwhile, a segment of the readymade garment backward linkage association members recently had a meeting in the capital, and most of the former presidents of the apex body were there. Almost all speakers blamed the administrator for violating BGAPMEA charter, insiders say.
To get an elected body to continue smooth business, they seek government intervention.
Moazzem Hossain Moti, immediate president of the apex body, said in the meeting, “Holding the polls has become a bit difficult as the administrator announced a controversial schedule and many members filed a case against the schedule, though they are his men.
“We do not want any case, any barriers. We just want an election on schedule, and it should follow our charter.”
Another member of the BGAPMEA, on condition of anonymity, said “Where is the administrator?
“We could not reach him at all, and he already extended his tenure for another six months, though the government appointed him for just six months to continue routine work and hold an election for the BGAPMEA.”
The member added, “He has not been coming to the office regularly, and has not been communicating with us. Even, we cannot see any symptom to hold a poll on time. Though many of our members are helping him, our businesses are being disrupted severely.”
The BGAPMEA started its operation in 1989, and it currently has nearly 1,900 members, who are contributing nearly $8.5 billion to the apparel export.
On August 8, BGAPMEA first vice-president Mohammad Belal sent a letter to the commerce ministry, claiming that the president of the trade body, Mohammad Moazzem Hossain Moti, renewed his membership using fake documents.
After a hearing and a show-cause notice, the ministry appointed senior assistant secretary Mohammad Moshiur Rahman as an administrator of the apex body on September 24 last year for six months.
In the order, the ministry said the administrator would prepare a proper voter list and complete the election to the executive committee of the BGAPMEA within the stipulated time, and hand over the responsibility to the elected representatives and notify the ministry about it.
The administrator, however, already extended his tenure for another six months and announced election schedules two times.
