Mohammad Hatem, managing director of MB Knit Fashion Ltd, will now serve as the president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), who served as executive president since the last AGM.
In an emergency board meeting on Sunday of the apex trade body of the country’s knitwear manufacturers, current president Selim Osman resigned from his position of president and board director, citing personal reasons and illness.
According to the BKMEA sources, Selim joined the meeting virtually and announced his resignation.
Since July 22, 2010, when Selim Osman was elected BKMEA president for the first time, the association has not staged a competitive election, though the association held elections in advance of each election, with nomination papers coming from a single panel.
Selim’s resignation comes after the Sheikh Hasina government was overthrown earlier this month amid widespread unrest.
Selim was also a member of parliament for Narayangonj-5.
In an immediate reaction, Mohammad Hatem said that their priority will be to work with the central bank to resolve financing issues for the industry and work with NBR to minimize the customs law and procedures related to some issues.
“We will also work with the government to resume talk with EU trade negotiations to continue preferential trade benefits in that trade zone,” he added saying that they will also work for the US market.
In the emergency board meeting, the BGMEA board also elected Fatullah Apparels Ltd Managing Director Fazlee
Shamim and Micro Fibre Group Managing Director Engr Md Shamsuzzaman, as its executive president and vice president, respectively.
As the organization’s founding member, Hatem also held the position of director from December 1996 until April 20, 2002.
Later, he held the office for six terms as vice president and the final 1.5 terms as executive president.
For the last five years, Ehsan was the vice president of BKMEA. He also held the position of director for multiple terms prior to that.
Shamsuzzaman also had three terms as the association’s director.
