Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association

BKMEA Board of Directors led by its President AKM Salim Osman has taken a historical decision of purchasing a permanent space of 6580 sft for establishing BKMEA Dhaka office. The primary task for registering the space has already been completed. Thus the current BKMEA team led by its able leadership has made a great leap forward addressing the needs and aspirations of the sector as well as of the country. The historic declaration to the end was made by BKMEA President AKM Salim Osman at an Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on September 01, 2012 at Hotel Purbani, Dhaka. The session witnessed the unprecedented members turn out especially from Dhaka region. Echoing their chorus and vibrant approval to the proposal for buying the space for BKMEA Dhaka office, they promised to render necessary supports to the President for making the unique initiative a grand success. Being soaked with absolute support from the general members, President Osman informed that soon he would start the necessary procedures to buy the space and subsequently to shift the office to a new location. The news has left a new sense of vigor and joy among the BKMEA staff also. It has been an ongoing predicament for BKMEA to be stick together with a permanent office address due to the absence of BKMEA’s own space here in capital Dhaka. Besides, it was one of the major demands by BKMEA members especially from Dhaka regions to have a permanent BKMEA Dhaka office. It is a matter of great joy that all those concerns and demands are going to be addressed soon as BKMEA Dhaka office is finally going to be shifted to a new and permanent address in the same location. It is important to mention that if everything goes as planned, the permanent address will be the fourth floor of Planners Tower (the same building currently where BKMEA Dhaka office is located). On June 27, 2012 leaders from BKMEA, BGMEA and BTMA expressed their deep frustrations in press conference held at BGMEA complex. Pointing at the recent unrest and vandalism in several areas surrounding Dhaka, BKMEA President AKM Salim Osman termed the situation as really severe. Here he mentioned that a vested group is involved in the vandalism and using workers to materialize their own blueprints to destroy the apparel sector of Bangladesh. He added that it was really impossible to consider another hike in salary structure when manufacturers are troubled by global financial crisis. He urged the government to ensure maximum security for member factories and help regain conducive situations in the garment factories. Among others BGMEA President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin and BTMA President Jahangir Alamin, BKMEA 2nd Mohammad Hatem, Vice Monsoor Ahmed were also present in the press conference. On May 12, 2012 in a historic move, BKMEA Institute of Apparel Research & Technology (iART) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom. BKMEA President AKM Salim Osman and Mr. Colin Robert Sloan Renfrew, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organizations. Mr. Md. Ghulam Hussain, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and BKMEA 2nd Vice President Mohammad Hatem, Vice President Monsoor Ahmed, Mr. John T. Smith, International Coordinator/Long Term Adviser, Better Work in Textiles and Garments (BWTG), BEST, Mr.David Holbourne Chief Technical Adviser, BEST, UNIDO, Ms. Rubayat Jesmine, Delegation of the European Commission to Bangladesh were present as special guests at the MoU signing program. Among others BKMEA directors Mr. Alamgir Kabir, Mr. Golam Zakaria Bhuiyan, Mr. Homaun Kabir Khan Shilpi were also present. The 6th Knit Exposition in Tokyo, Japan organized by BKMEA from January 25-27, 2012 BKMEA is committed to promoting congenial environment in the knitwear sector of Bangladesh. In line with this view, on February 26, 2012 BKMEA donated two pickup vans to the industrial police of Narayanganj-4 in an effort to ensure wider mobility and ability to respond swiftly to emergency situations. On the same day, state Minister for Labor and Employment, Begum Munnujan Sufian gave away cheques for Tk 41 lakh among 41 family members of deceased workers of knitwear industry.