The country’s highest export body, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers’ and Exporters’ Association (BGMEA), wants to stay another year at its present address, as it is not fully prepared to shift yet. “It will take at least another year to build a full-fledged complex for the BGMEA office at the allotted place in Dhaka’s Uttara,” said BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman, while briefing reporters at the BGMEA Bhaban yesterday.

He said, according to the court verdict, they will have to shift by September 11. But it will be a tough job at this moment, with the existing set-up. The BGMEA president hinted that they will stay here for another year with the apex court’s permission.

On being asked what they would do if the court did not heed their prayer, he said, “Only time will tell.” He also urged the Supreme Court to postpone the demolition of the BGMEA’s controversial office by a year.

On March 12, the court ordered to begin the demolition of the 15-storied building within six months. The deadline is September 12.

On August 23, the apparel manufacturers’ platform appealed

to the court for the extension of the deadline, said Siddiqur Rahman, chairman of the Association of Clothing Manufacturers and Exporters of Bangladesh. “We respect the verdict of the court, but we need more time to complete the construction of the new office building in Uttara,” he said.

He said the association has already appointed consultants for the new structure on a 5.5-bigha plot in Uttara Sector-17. “I hope the construction of the new office building will be completed within a year.”

The association paid Tk. 11 crore to the government on Thursday for the land in Uttara.

In March, the Supreme Court dismissed an application requesting the review of its judgment confirming a High Court order delivered on April 2011 to demolish the illegally built structure in the Begunbari Canal of Dhaka and Lake Hatirjheel.

The High Court had ordered the government to demolish the building within three months, saying it was built on land acquired by fraud and filled with land illegally. The BGMEA appealed in the Appellate Division against the HC’s verdict.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha issued a short verdict on June 2 last year, dismissing the BGMEA’s appeal and confirming the HC. The Supreme Court issued the full text of the verdict on November 8, ordering the BGMEA to immediately demolish the building at its own expense.