Oikko Parishad panel leader Al Shahriar Ahmed is set to become the first-ever elected president of the Bangladesh Garments Accessories & Packaging Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) for the 2024-26 tenure as it clinched a landslide victory against Active Member’s Union panel.

The organisation has finally enabled to arrange an election in democratic way after its 33-year of history on Saturday at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) for Dhaka and Chattogram regions. 

Two panels, Oikko Parishad and Active Members’ Union, took part in the polls for 16 directorial posts for Dhaka and 5 for Chattogram region.

According to BGAPMEA election board Chief Md Razzaqul Islam, 425 voters cast their votes out of a total of 460 voters. Oikko Parishad panel leader Shahriar, Adzi Trims Managing Director, secured 257 votes while Moniruzzaman Molla, a director candidate of Oikko Parishad got the highest 286 votes among the candidates.

The Oikko Parishad panel elected 14 director posts from Dhaka and Chattogram in the elections. The newly elected board of directors will elect the president, the first vice-president, the senior vice-president and other office bearers. 

Meanwhile, Active Member’s Union panel led by Poly Plan Ltd Managing Director Nasirul Alam secured 7 directorial positions. Nasirul Alam bagged a total of 233 votes from both Dhaka and Chattogram regions.

Al Shariar thanked voters keeping faith in them. “We will work together in the next two years to develop the backward linkage industry,” he also said.