The Awami League-led government is trying to sway undecided and dissatisfied voters by implementing numerous development projects ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election.
The instruction given to all departments by AL President and prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, to complete the visible projects before the national polls fits in with the party’s broader promotion of its track record in office.
“For the past 10 consecutive years the party has been in power, the development Bangladesh has achieved is visible to all,” Awami League Presidium Member, Lt Col (rtd) Muhammand Faruk Khan, said.
“It is proven that when Awami League remains in power, the country progresses. During (our) government’s terms, many developments projects have been undertaken and the ruling party has always been trying to create job opportunities for the youths - no other government did that.”
PM Hasina has repeatedly vowed to build a “developed and digital” Bangladesh and has seen the country fulfil the eligibility requirements to graduate to developing nation status during her government’s tenure.
In recent months, Bangladesh has also sent its first satellite into orbit as its economy continues to show strong growth.
“I hope the people of Bangladesh will again vote for the Awami League to build a prosperous country imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War,” Faruk said.
Despite its many successes, however, the ruling party and its allies are facing voter discontent over the government’s position on a number of issues such as quota reform, road safety, price hikes, and unemployment.
Ahead of the 11th parliamentary election, which is scheduled to be held in the last week of December, the government is trying to satisfy people from all sectors, especially rural voters.
As such, the government has undertaken hundreds of projects to pursue voters such as developing roads and highways, constructing new schools, colleges and madrasas, and building new mosques across the country.
It is also trying to fulfill the demands of several quarters including job seekers, students, youths, businesses, and non-MPO teachers.
“The incumbent Awami League-led government has taken all kinds of development projects to become a developed country and the 20th economic power by 2041,” Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said recently.
Past successes
As part of its development push, the government has recently undertaken infrastructure projects like upgrading the Hathazari-Raozan section of the Chittagong-Rangamati national highway to four lanes at a cost of Tk528 crore, and widening and strengthening the Jamalpur-Madarganj road (3rd revised) at Tk128 crore.
In addition, the government has constructed a railway link with India between Chilahati and the Chilahati border at a cost of Tk80 crore, improved the drainage system to end waterlogging in Khulna City at Tk824 crore, and supported rural bridges for a total of Tk4,971 crore.
Present projects
This year, the government is also investing Tk2,512 crore to expand the possibilities for ICT and science research and enhance teachers’ skills under a project titled “Expanding the Possibilities for Science Education in Government Colleges”.
For this project, the government plans to increase the infrastructure facilities of around 200 government colleges, extend the existing academic buildings of 18 colleges, and renovate academic buildings of six colleges.
It will also construct 164-capacity male and female hostels at 47 colleges, and provide ICT equipment, furniture and office equipment to 200 government colleges and 47 hostels.
Future plans
The development is not ending there, however.
On September 11, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved a Tk5,915 crore project to construct new mosques and expand and upgrade madrasas. These projects were undertaken following the demands of lawmakers.
A week later, Ecnec approved 14 projects – 11 new, including one on electronic voting machines, and three revised – at an estimated cost of Tk12,545 crore.
As part of the development schemes, the government will establish Sheikh Hasina Tantpalli (first phase) at an estimated cost of Tk253 crore for people in the handloom industry.
Awami League Presidium Member Pijush Kanti Bhattacharjee said the government has undertaken projects to develop all sectors as part of its push to transform Bangladesh into a developing country.
“As a secular party, Awami League is committed to building a country for people of all religions (and) that is why the government has allocated money to develop mosques, madrasas, temples, and churches,” he said.
Several other Awami League lawmakers said the construction and renovation of mosques, madrasas, schools, colleges, roads and highways will help the ruling party get votes in the upcoming national poll.
However, critics say the government is allocating money to visible development projects just before the election in a cynical move to woo voters, and not for the country’s overall development. l
