Shahriar set to become next BGAPMEA president as polls results announced

Md Shahriar, the managing director of the apparel accessories manufacturing company Adzi Trims, is set to become the next president of the Bangladesh Garment Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association as his panel secured win for the majority of the directorial posts in the association's elections today.

The elections took place simultaneously from 10am to 4am at International Convention City Bashundhara in Dhaka, and Chattogram club Ground Zero.

Md Razzaqul Islam, chief of the election board, announced the poll results in the evening.

In the polls, Oikko Parishad, the panel led by Shahriar, secured win for a total of 14 directorial posts – 12 from Dhaka and 2 from Chattogram – out of 21 posts. From the opposing panel, Active Member's Union, 7 directors secured victory.

From Oikko Parishad, Shahriar received 257 votes, while Md Moniruzzaman Molla bagged the highest 286 votes.

"Now, it's time to work to meet our commitments which were made in our manifesto," Shahriar said in his immediate reaction, expressing gratitude to all voters.

"We believe that if we work together, we would be able to build a smart BGAPMEA," he added. 

BGAPMEA, the trade body of the apparel background linkage sector, accounted for nearly $8 billion in earnings in the country's export sector annually. Today's election is said to be the first ever poll of the association in its 33 years' journey.

Announcing the results, the election board chairman said 425 voters out of 460 exercised their voting rights. However, some 16 votes from the Dhaka region were rejected due to failure of procedural mistakes.

The two panels – Oikko Parishad and Active Member's Union, contested in the polls for 21 directorial posts, of which 16 are for Dhaka and 5 for Chattogram.

Now, the newly-elected board of directors will elect the president, vice president, senior vice president and other office bearers for the 2024-26 tenure.