HC wants decision on 400 garments’ right to be BGMEA voters in 7 days

The High Court today ordered the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) to take decision in seven days about more than 400 garments, which allegedly have no relevant documents for being voters in the upcoming BGMEA election.

In response to a writ petition, the court asked the arbitration tribunal of the FBCCI, the apex trade organisation of Bangladesh, to dispose of by this time the application that requested for correcting the voters' list prepared for Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) election scheduled to be held on March 9.

At the same time, the HC directed the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to verify the tax identification numbers (TINs) and income tax return certificates of those garments and to assist the BGMEA by providing the information to this effect.

The HC issued a rule asking the FBCCI's arbitration tribunal to explain why its delay in disposing of the application filed for correcting the voters' list of BGMEA should not be declared illegal, writ petitioner's lawyer Mustafizur Rahman Khan told The Daily Star.

The HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque issued the order and rule following the writ petition filed by Faisal Samad, owner of Surma garments, seeking necessary directives.