BGMEA Election Board Sunday announced the names of 77 valid candidates for the posts of directors for the biennial election for 2011-12.

The biennial election for the country's apex apparel body will be held on February 24 in its Dhaka and Chittagong offices.

"We got a total of 77 candidates as valid for the elections," Md Shafiullah, Chairman of BGMEA Election Board, told the FE.

He said the last date for withdrawal of candidature is February 5.

"We'll publish the final list of candidates on February 6," Mr Shafiullah added.

Some 3259 apparel makers will vote this year, 581 up from the last election held in 2009. This time 2,665 voters have been listed from Dhaka region and 594 from Chittagong.

The voting will be conducted through electronic system introduced in 2009.

The voters will elect 27 directors from Dhaka and Chittagong regions from two traditional panels - Sammilita Parishad and Forum.