Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, managing director of Designtex Group, has been named the new president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) following the resignation of SM Mannan Kochi. The appointment was made during an emergency meeting held at a hotel in Dhaka.
Kochi, who was elected BGMEA president for the 2024-26 term on March 14, stepped down due to personal reasons and health issues. Despite his resignation, Kochi will continue to serve as a director on the BGMEA board. In addition to Rafiqul’s appointment, the BGMEA board elected Abdullah Hil Rakib, Managing Director of Team Group, as senior vice president, and Asif Ashraf, Managing Director of Urmi Group, as vice president.
Rafiqul Islam, who previously served as the senior vice president of the trade body, has stated that his top priority will be to restore foreign buyers’ confidence in Bangladesh’s garment sector. He assured that efforts would be made to present Bangladesh as a safe and reliable source for apparel. The leadership change comes amid political turmoil in Bangladesh following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier this month. Allegations of irregularities during the February BGMEA elections have been raised by the Forum panel, which lost the recent election. The panel has called for the dissolution of the current board and the formation of an interim committee to oversee new elections.
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