NN Online:
Polling is underway to elect new leadership for the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), marking a crucial transition more than seven months after the previous board was dissolved amid political unrest.
Voting for the 2025–27 term began at 8:00am on Saturday and will continue until 5:00pm. Polls are being held simultaneously at two locations — the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka and the Radisson Blu Bay View Hotel in Chattogram.
Once the 35 directors are elected, they will go on to select the BGMEA’s president, vice president, and other executive office bearers.
This year’s election sees 76 candidates vying for 35 director posts, representing three different panels. The Sammilito Parishad and the Forum panels have each fielded candidates for all 35 seats, while the Oikya Parishad has nominated six candidates.
Sammilito Parishad, led by Abul Kalam, is campaigning on a 12-point manifesto. The Forum, headed by Mahmud Hasan Khan, has put forward a 14-point agenda. Oikya Parishad, under Mohammad Mohsin’s leadership, has pledged 16 key commitments.
To ensure a fair and secure voting process, the BGMEA Election Board has implemented strict protocols. A significant police presence has been deployed in and around the Dhaka polling centre to maintain order.
Only candidates were permitted near the entrance of the polling venue in the morning, and voters were required to surrender their mobile phones before entering the premises. Supporters from all three panels were instructed to vacate the hotel area after voting began.
Campaign workers from the contesting panels were seen standing outside the polling venue, urging last-minute support from passing voters.
Election results are expected to shape the future leadership of one of Bangladesh’s most influential trade bodies.
