The Forum panel taking part in the election of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) yesterday demanded cancellation of the preliminary voter list and publishing a new one as the tax files of 429 voters could not be found.

By checking with the website of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the panel found that of the 2,315 voters who have been named in the list, 429 do not have a proper tax identification number (TIN) and other tax-related documents.

In order to become eligible voters, they must have proper tax documents.

"It was our primary investigation and we have found no TINs for 429 preliminary voters. However, the number might go up," said Faisal Samad, the leader of the Forum panel.

"The BGMEA and the appeal board of the election should conduct an independent investigation to ensure the holding of an election based on a real voter list."

The leader of the Forum panel sent a letter to the board to this effect.

Jahangir Alamin, the chief election commissioner, said he was not aware of the issue, which is mainly supervised by the appeal board.

He said the preliminary voter list was prepared as per the recorded documents of the BGMEA.

"If anybody disagrees, he or she can appeal to the board for correction."

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said he was not aware that 429 voters were having problems with their TINs.

The appeal board may know about it. There is a timeframe to make an appeal if there is any dispute, he said.

Khairul Huda Chopol, a member of the board, said 41 applications were submitted to them by the voters as of yesterday.

It is not clear whether those applications included the issue of 429 voters or not, he told The Daily Star over the phone.

"The board will open the files on Thursday to probe the complaints."

Nizamuddin Rajesh, another member of the board, said he received an email from the BGMEA yesterday to sit in a meeting on January 27 or February 3 to settle the complaints if filed by anybody.

He said he did not know about 429 voters against whom the Forum panel did not find the TIN certificates.

The biennial election of the BGMEA for the 2024-26 tenure is scheduled to be held on March 9. The board published the preliminary voter list on January 18.

Traditionally, two panels -- the Forum and Sammilito Parishad -- contest in the election.

The tenure of the current board ends in March. It took charge in April 2021.

The tenure of the incumbent board was extended for one year in two phases, citing the critical period the garment sector has been facing because of the severe fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, the dollar crisis and other internal problems.

The extension in the last six months was made, saying many lawmakers, who are also garment manufacturers and exporters, would not be interested in the BGMEA election before the national polls. The parliamentary elections took place on January 7.