New Leadership at BKMEA and BGMEA Board
In a momentous leadership transfer, the respective board of directors of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have selected new Presidents and Vice Presidents.
Mohammad Hatem, Managing Director of MB Knit Fashion Ltd, has taken over as President of BKMEA, succeeding Selim Osman, who resigned due to personal reasons and illness. Mohammad Hatem, the organization’s former Executive President, has been a significant figure in the apparel sector, campaigning for the interests of knitwear makers. The association has not had a competitive election since Selim Osman was elected BKMEA president on July 22, 2010.
The new BKMEA President plans to focus on crucial industry concerns. He intends to work closely with Bangladesh’s central bank to address funding challenges in the knitwear sector. Additionally, Hatem intends to collaborate with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to streamline customs regulations and procedures. On the international front, his top priorities include continuing negotiations with the European Union to maintain preferential trade benefits. He also stressed the significance of increasing prospects in the United States market to ensure the sector’s growth and stability.
Mohammad Hatem has been accompanied at BKMEA’s leadership by Fazlee Shamim, Managing Director of Fatullah Apparels Ltd., as Executive President, and Engr Md. Shamsuzzaman, Managing Director of Micro Fibre Group, as Vice President. Both leaders have substantial expertise and have served on the BKMEA’s board multiple times. Mohammad Hatem is a founding member of BKMEA and his company’s membership number is 01.
Similarly, the BGMEA has undergone a leadership transition. Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, the Managing Director of Designtex Group, has been elected as President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
He would replace SM Mannan Kochi, who was the elected president for the 2024-26 term but has resigned recently due to “personal reasons and illness”. Despite stepping down as president, SM Mannan Kochi will remain a director on the BGMEA board.
At an emergency meeting in Dhaka, the BGMEA board has elected also Abdullah Hil Rakib, Managing Director of Team Group as Senior Vice President, and Asif Ashraf, Managing Director of Urmi Group, as Vice President.
At his initial remark, Khandoker Rafiqul Islam underlined the necessity of rebuilding international buyers’ trust and confidence in Bangladesh, citing improvements in law and order situation as a priority task. He has assured international partners that Bangladesh would be a safe and dependable manufacturing location for clothing sourcing. His leadership comes at a critical time for the Bangladesh apparel industry. Rafiqul’s priorities include increasing market access, improving working conditions, and maintaining international conformity.
The leadership changes at BGMEA and BKMEA come after the Sheikh Hasina government was forced to be dissolved on August 5 on a student-led people movement.
