Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The vote counting of the biennial election to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) began on Sunday evening after peaceful simultaneous voting in Dhaka and Chittagong BGMEA Bhabans.
General members of the BGMEA started casting their votes at 8:00am and it continued till 5:00pm without any break, with additional one hour following heavy voter turnout. The vote casting was originally scheduled to end at 4:00pm.
The polls results are expected to be available by Sunday midnight, President of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association and Election Commissioner of the BGMEA polls Jahangir Alamin told reporters.
A total of 2,058 voters cast their votes in Dhaka while 554 in Chittagong to pick the future leaders of the trade body for the next two-year term (2013-2014).
Fifty-four candidates from two panels — Shammilto Parishad and Forum
— are in the election race.
The Shammilto Parishad is led by Atiqul Islam, a former vice president, while the Forum is led by Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu.
There are 3,196 voters this year. Of the voters, 2592 are from Dhaka and 604 from Chittagong.
In the two panels, 40 candidates from Dhaka zone and 14 from Chittagong zone are contesting for 27 posts of directors of the executive committee – 20 from the Dhaka zone and seven from the Chittagong zone.
Under the existing provisions, the elected directors (27) will select one president and four vice-presidents to run the association for two years.
Among the vice-presidents, one is elected from Chittagong region while others from Dhaka region.
BBN/SSR/AD-10Mar13-9:50 pm (BST)
