Forum Panel wins big in BGMEA election

The Forum Panel, led by Mahmud Hasan Khan (Babu), secured a landslide victory in the biennial election of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), winning 31 out of 35 director posts, according to final results announced by the election commission.

The election was held simultaneously on Saturday at two centres—Dhaka and Chattogram. Of the Forum’s 31 victories, 25 were from Dhaka and six from Chattogram. The rival Sammilito Parishad Panel managed to win four director posts—one in Dhaka and three in Chattogram.

In total, the BGMEA election had 35 director posts up for grabs, with 26 representing the Dhaka region and nine from Chattogram.

Polling in both centres ran from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm without any breaks. In Dhaka, voting took place at the Radisson Blu Water Garden hotel, where 1,528 out of 1,631 registered voters cast their ballots, although 103 votes were declared invalid. In Chattogram, 248 out of 303 votes were cast, with six invalid votes reported.

This election followed a period of administrative oversight after the previous president, SM Mannan Kochi, resigned in October, two months after the fall of the Hasina government in August. Following his resignation, the government appointed Md Anwar Hossain as the BGMEA administrator to oversee the election process.