The chief advisor's recent address to the citizens indicated that elections are scheduled for late 2025 or early 2026. While all major political parties are likely to make many promises, the key question will be their actual performance once the winning political party assumes office.
However, many election promises are often blatant falsehoods and populist rhetoric aimed deliberately at dissatisfied and vulnerable citizens. With each election cycle, the scope of promises becomes unrealistic, filled with false pledges and unfulfilled commitments.
The gap between unrealistic promises and actual outcomes to eliminate unemployment and poverty and combat corruption leaves citizens feeling disappointed. What capacity exists when a political party, in an attempt to attract voters, makes pre-election promises it fails to fulfill once in office?
False promises throughout the electoral campaign
In addition to the quota issue in the civil service that arose during the unrest in July and August, various factors have led citizens to protest against authoritarianism, unemployment, excessive executive power, and income inequality, among others.
Currently, political parties in Bangladesh are focused on making election pledges to the electorate. An electoral manifesto is a document in which a political party outlines its commitments to voters if they come to power. It serves as a framework and guideline for governance, as well as a pledge to address significant national issues.
It is recommended that all political parties develop five-year work plans based on their electoral promises. Additionally, they should establish clear annual milestones for implementing their election promises, allowing voters to evaluate their performance while in office.
Political parties must clearly articulate their positions on national issues in their manifestos. However, the failure of election manifestos to deliver on their stated promises is a persistent issue in Bangladesh.
Political parties often make extravagant promises to attract voters, and these pledges frequently lack a pragmatic basis and genuine commitment to execution.
Promises to reduce unemployment, lessen economic inequality, or promote pluralism may be hindered by budget constraints and the influence of the ruling party. Consequently, the question remains as to why political parties are not held accountable for the false promises made to deceive voters.
Independent entity for the oversight of electoral manifesto
Once the election ends, voters can no longer hold political parties accountable for their campaign promises. Many voters become disillusioned by these parties' failure to fulfill their commitments or their clear deviations from what was promised during the campaign.
During election campaigns, influential politicians often deceive voters to secure victory in parliamentary elections. However, the electorate tends to respond positively to political parties that guarantee specific pledges. Therefore, it is essential for voters to demand accountability and regularly monitor the progress of these manifesto promises.
The interim government could consider establishing an independent entity to oversee and report on the implementation of these commitments. Having an impartial body review election manifestos can significantly enhance the fulfillment of electoral promises.
Additionally, this independent body should evaluate how political parties that do not secure a majority in the election contribute to and promote their electoral agendas.
The manifestos of political parties have become ineffective documents in their current state, highlighting the need for reforms to hold political parties accountable for the pledges made in them
Political parties must take responsibility for formulating and executing their pledges, while voters play an essential role in demanding accountability. The prevalence of false electoral manifestos is a significant concern in the country, threatening democracy and development and negatively impacting citizens' trust in political parties.
To address the issue, an independent entity could transform election manifestos into meaningful tools for promoting democracy and development. This entity would also serve as a catalyst, educating voters on the importance of unrealistic manifestos and holding political parties accountable.
By understanding the extent of political commitment and the structural and institutional factors contributing to this failure, the independent entity can assist political parties in collaboration with various stakeholders.
This effort would involve disseminating information to bridge the gap between electoral promises and their actual outcomes, thereby strengthening the foundations of democratic governance and development efforts in Bangladesh.
In our country, there is a concerning trend of deliberately deceiving voters, the majority of whom are uneducated and lack awareness. Presenting false, unrealistic, and unattainable campaign promises constitutes a form of political deception, violating ethical standards and integrity.
The manifestos of political parties have become ineffective documents in their current state, highlighting the need for reforms to hold political parties accountable for the pledges made in them. To address this issue, it is essential to incorporate election manifestos into the Representation of the People Order, 1972.
Amendments should be made to ensure political parties are held accountable for their electoral commitments. Election manifestos must be legally documented, and if a party in power intentionally fails to fulfill its promises or makes no effort toward execution by the end of a five-year term, it should be brought before the independent body.
Otherwise, each election cycle will lead to promises of one employment per household, improved social welfare, job creation, and better governance, but without any tangible outcomes.
A heavy fine or a declaration of ineligibility for the incumbent politicians or party should be enforced for failing to meet these electoral pledges in elections in Bangladesh. However, challenges may arise in a coalition government.
All parties involved in the coalition must endorse the collectively agreed-upon election promises before joining the government. When political parties make promises, they take on a burden and have a legal and moral obligation to fulfill them.
This requires taking legal action in the best interests of the constituency and the country as a whole, if the manifesto is not executed purposefully. Consequently, political parties must exercise caution when formulating election manifestos.
They should be based on comprehensive research and realistic evaluations of available resources and pressing issues to eliminate the possibility of deceiving voters during election campaigns.
Md Nurul Momen, PhD is Professor and Chairperson, Department of Public Administration, University of Rajshahi.