BGMEA seeks three years time to move office

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has filed a petition with the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking a three-year time to shift its office from the building located over Hatirjheel lake. Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, BGMEA lawyer Imtiaj Moinul Islam said: “We have sought three years to shift the office to a different location. “The matter will be placed before the Supreme Court's Appellate Division tomorrow [Thursday].” When asked regarding the demolition of the building, the lawyer replied: “It is a different issue.” On March 5, the apex court dismissed a petition to review it's 2016 verdict saying the building was built illegally and therefore must be demolished. The Supreme Court had also ordered the BGMEA to inform it in a petition by March 9 as to how long it would take to demolish the building. The 15-storey building, BGMEA's headquarters, stands on a crucial spot in Dhaka, blocking the connection between two large water bodies – Hatirjheel lake and Begunbari canal. BGMEA President Siddiqur Rahman, on March 5, informed the Dhaka Tribune that they would seek time from the court, as the logistics needed in moving the office is massive. Moreover, missing even a day of work could adversely affect the reputation of Bangladesh’s RMG sector abroad, he added. The BGMEA president also said they were close to finding a new location for their office preferably in Uttara or Purbachal.