Mahmud-led Forum panel wins BGMEA election

The Forum panel, led by Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, managing director of Rising Fashions, has won the biennial election of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu bagged 1,149 votes. His prime competitor Sammilita Parishad panel leader Md Abul Kalam, managing director of Chaiti Group, got 664 votes.

The Forum panel swept the election as most of the elected directors are from this panel.

The elected directors will nominate the president, vice presidents, and other office bearers for the 2025-27 period.

In this election, the number of voters was 1,864, of whom 1,561 are in Dhaka and 303 in Chattogram.

This was the first major trade body election in the country since the political changeover in August 2024 and the subsequent dissolution of the previous BGMEA committee.

Earlier in the day, voting started at 8:00am in Dhaka and Chattogram simultaneously and continued until 5:00pm without a break.

In Dhaka, voting was held at the Radisson hotel, where 1,561 voters cast their ballots, while 303 voters cast theirs at the Chattogram centre.

BGMEA Administrator Md Anwar Hossain earlier said 88.21% of votes were cast at the Dhaka booth and 83.83% in Chattogram.