BGMEA seeks one-year more to shift its headquarters

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has sought one-year more time to shift its headquarters from Hatirjheel saying that construction of its new office building on a 5.5-bigha land in Uttara Sector-17 will be completed by this time.

“We’ve have filed a petition with the court seeking one year’s time to demolish the building. We will leave the building as soon as the construction of our new offices is complete, which will take another year,” said BGMEA President Md Siddiqur Rahman at a media briefing here today.

On March 12, the Supreme Court ordered to start the demolition of the 15-storey building within six months or by September 12 rejecting a plea of the RMG producers’ seeking three years time, reports BSS.

Siddiqur Rahman said BGMEA appealed to the court on August 23 for extension of the deadline.

The BGMEA president said they have already appointed consultants for the new building on a 5.5-bigha land in Uttara Sector-17.

“I’m hopeful that the construction of the new BGMEA building would be completed by next one year,” he added.

He said they had tried to rent a building for its office and they could not find any suitable building where 300 officials-employees of BGMEA can work properly.

“We respect the law and we hope that considering the contribution of the RMG sector to the national economy the court would take our petition into consideration,” Siddiqur Rahman added.

On March 5, BGMEA lost its last legal battle to keep its structure intact on the scenic water body as the Appellate Division rejected its plea, seeking review of its judgment that upheld an earlier High Court verdict, ordering demolition of the structure.

On that day, the Appellate Division described the structure as “cancer” which stands in Hatirjheel Lake.

In 2011, the High Court ordered demolition of the 15-storey building as it was constructed in defiance of relevant laws.