The Progressive Knit Alliance (PKA), led by Mohammad Hatem, managing director of MB Knit Fashion, won the biennial election of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) held on Saturday, according to preliminary results.

The election was held at two centres -- one in Dhaka and the other in Narayanganj.

A total of 38 candidates -- 35 from PKA panel and three independents -- contested this year's election for 35 posts of directors for the 2025-2027 term.

PKA fielded candidates for all the 35 posts of directors.

Following the election of the directors, the new board will elect one president, one executive president, and seven vice presidents on May 15.

Approximately 75.35 percent, or 431 out of 572 eligible voters across the country, cast their ballots in the election, according to BKMEA election board sources.

In Narayanganj, 234 out of 272 voters cast their votes, while in Dhaka, 140 out of 224 eligible voters participated. From the Chattogram zone, 57 of the 76 registered voters cast their ballots.

The election commission did not set up a separate polling centre in Chattogram due to the relatively low number of voters in the port city. Instead, Chattogram-based voters were permitted to vote at either of the two other centers -- Dhaka or Narayanganj.

Mr Hatem, the current president of BKMEA, replaced Salim Osam who resigned following the July-August uprising.