The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has failed to meet the deadline for establishing the election board responsible for conducting the leadership polls for the 2023-2025 terms.
On 13th April, the Commerce Ministry granted a six-month extension to the current board of the country’s largest trade body, representing the apparel industry, with the tenure now extended until 12th October.
In adherence to the conditions set for the extension, it was required to form a three-member election board and an appeal board with an equal number of members, at least 90 days before the extended term’s expiration, which translates to the deadline of 10th July. However, the election board has not been constituted as of now.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan stated that the board of directors is diligently working to establish the election board at the earliest opportunity. Faruque Hassan was elected as the BGMEA chief from the Sammilita Parishad during the biennial election in April 2021.
Faisal Samad, leader of the Forum, another panel within the association, expressed concern, revealing that they had reminded the president multiple times about forming the election board due to the limited time available, but their calls were unheeded.
The BGMEA director mentioned that according to the association’s charter and the extension conditions, the deadline for forming the board was 10 July, but that deadline has been missed. This situation raises the possibility of a constitutional challenge, as it may hinder the timely holding of the election. The president’s failure to establish the board is seen as a deviation from the association’s constitution.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
