B Mirror Report: The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on Tuesday accorded a reception to Members of Parliament elected from the country’s apparel sector in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election.

The programme was held at the Golf Garden of the Army Golf Club in the capital, followed by an iftar and doa mahfil.

State Minister for Commerce Md Shariful Alam, State Minister for Housing and Public Works Ahmed Sohel Monjur, and Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin attended the event.

Presided over by BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, the reception was attended by MPs Md Shahadat Hossain (Lakshmipur-1), Md Abdullah (Munshiganj-1), Md Lutfur Rahman (Tangail-4), Md Abul Kalam (Cumilla-9), Khaled Hossain Mahbub (Brahmanbaria-3), and Ershad Ullah (Chattogram-8), according to a press release.

BGMEA office-bearers, members of the board of directors, general members and prominent business leaders were also present.

At the outset, the BGMEA president welcomed the lawmakers, state ministers and the adviser with flowers and crests.

In his address, Mahmud Hasan Khan congratulated the newly elected MPs, saying the victory of representatives from the apparel family reflected the collective strength of the entire sector. He expressed hope that while raising issues related to their constituencies in the Jatiya Sangsad, the lawmakers would also highlight the garment industry’s contributions, ongoing challenges and the relentless efforts of entrepreneurs.

“The newly elected MPs will act as a strong voice for the garment sector at the policymaking level in parliament,” he said.

He further voiced optimism that the legislators would support export diversification, promote ease of doing business, reduce operational costs and help ensure fair and pragmatic solutions in the broader interest of the national economy.

Speaking on behalf of the MPs, former BGMEA Senior Vice-President and MP Md Lutfur Rahman said the foundation of the country’s garment industry was laid during the tenure of Ziaur Rahman. He added that MPs elected from the apparel sector would take all-out initiatives to advance the industry further and strengthen the national economy.

BGMEA First Vice-President Selim Rahman delivered the welcome speech, expressing hope that the experience and expertise of the newly elected lawmakers would contribute to framing industry- and trade-friendly policies in parliament.

It was noted that a total of 16 MPs from the apparel industry family have been elected to the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.

The programme concluded with a doa mahfil seeking continued peace, progress and prosperity for the country, followed by iftar.