New panel says has right to contest

The Swadhinata Parishad, a new panel for the upcoming polls of the Bangladesh Garment Manufac-turers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), yesterday said it has the right to contest in next month's biennial election of the trade body.

“We will accept whatever the result is if a fair and free election takes place. We have the right to contest and every right to lose in the polls too,” said Md Zahangir Alam, convener of the panel.

“I have formed the panel to establish the voting rights of the BGMEA members. I am fully confident that the election will be free and fair.”

He made the comments at a discussion on the “Present and future of the apparel sector” organised by Nabarun Apparels Ltd, an export-oriented garment-maker, in the capital's Dhaka Club.

The election of the BGMEA for 2019-2021 will be held on April 6.

The Swadhinata Parishad will work to rebuild and brighten the image of the apparel sector if it gets elected, Alam said at the event where the panel unveiled its 12-point election manifesto.

“Our panel will give priority to manufactures to introduce modern technology in order to make the sector ready for the fourth industrial revolution.”

The Parishad will also appoint lobbyists to create a positive image of the apparel sector, he said.

In the manifesto, the forum promised to establish a research cell with the help of local and foreign experts to go for product diversification keeping pace with the rapidly changing global fashion trends.

The panel also pledged to make the BGMEA more tech-friendly by introducing online services for the members. Steps would be taken to modernise the Utilisation Declara-tion (UD) system, so that it can be issued online, the manifesto said.

How much inputs and packaging materials will be used in manufacturing exportable products is basically determined by the UD.

An app will be developed for the subcontractors so that the entrepreneurs can easily contact with factories for work, the panel said.

The platform will also focus on strengthening all the standing committees of the BGMEA and training up the employees to increase their efficiency and skills.

“The cash incentive Bangladesh offers to the garment makers is much lower compared to its competitor countries. We will also urge the government to raise the incentive up to 10 percent,” Alam said.

In the election, a total of 18 members of the Parishad will contest against 35 directors, including 25 from Dhaka and 10 from Chattogram zone.