The apex trade body in the apparel sector, BGMEA, has moved to amend a provision in its charter that bars a candidate from contesting the elections to its executive committee after serving three consecutive terms, sources said.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is going to hold an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) in this regard on October 31, they added.
In a recent notice to its members, the BGMEA said the EGM would discuss the ways to amend or scrap the provision of Article 13 (iii) of its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
The provision bars a member of the trade body from contesting the elections to its executive committee after serving the office for six successive years or three consecutive terms.
The BGMEA's move came two months after the commerce ministry has amended the Trade Organisations Rules (TOR), people involved with it said.
Any person who is elected a member of the Board of Directors through regular elections held every two years and thus remains a member of the board of directors consecutively for three terms will not be eligible for re-election as a member of the Board of Directors for the next two years, according to BGMEA's Memorandum and Articles of Association 13 (iii).
On July 29, the government lifted the ban on candidates contesting executive committee election of a trade body after serving the office for two consecutive terms.
And any association can do the same as per their respective trade body's constitution, according to the amended TOR.
Meanwhile, a group of apparel makers alleged that the government has amended the TOR twice in seven months following requests from the country's influential business leaders.
A BGMEA leader, wishing not to be named, said they all are aware of the issue but they have nothing to do.
"A few business people want to remain on the BGMEA board for an indefinite period and the government has created an opportunity for them through the latest amendment to the TOR," he added.
Such a move would create a bad example for the BGMEA, said another BGMEA leader.
If the ban is lifted, the leadership of the largest foreign currency earning sector's trade body would be confined to a vested group and it would also shrink the space for new leadership, he added.
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