As the 11th national election is fast-approaching, the ruling party, Awami League, is finalizing its election manifesto— to clinch it a third consecutive term in office.
Awami League sources said the party is going to include new dimensions to its election manifesto—such as building a developed country by 2041, generating employment for the youth, and building a women-friendly country.
Around 23.5 million young voters – mostly university students or job seekers registered since 2008 – will cast their votes in the upcoming general election—according to the Election Commission, which plans to hold the election in the last week of December.
The party believes that young voters will determine the outcome of the election result and that is why it is focusing on winning over undecided voters and the youth.
Election Manifesto sub-committee
Awami League has formed a 13-member election manifesto sub-committee headed by the party’s Presidium Member Abdur Razzaque.
Other members include: the prime minister’s Economic Affairs Adviser Mashiur Rahman, prime minister’s Political Affairs Adviser HT Imam, Premier University Vice Chancellor (VC) and Awami League Adviser Dr Anupom Sen, former Dhaka University VC AAMS Arefin Siddique, Awami League Organizing Secretary Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, and Awami League Deputy Office Secretary Biplob Barua.
More members might be added to the sub-committee—if needed.
According to sub-committee sources, Awami League is going to unveil a pro-youth election manifesto.
On October 10, the sub-committee held a meeting to discuss the manifesto.
Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina will reveal the manifesto 10 days before the election, said a sub-committee member.
According to meeting sources, the manifesto will include a pledge to generate jobs for the youth.
Awami League will also promise to improve the lives of people living in char and remote areas, minority communities, and women. The manifesto will also encourage female entrepreneurship.
It will include promises to introduce technical-based madrasa education and to build agricultural-based industries. Also, it will aim to eradicate militancy and extremism from the country.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), will be at the center of the manifesto.
Several members of the sub-committee said the SDGs will be prioritized.
The platform aims to upgrade Bangladesh to a middle income country in 2021, and a developed country by 2041.
Several members of the sub-committee said a number of issues of SDGs will get preference in the manifesto.
During the 20th national conference, Awami League said it will try to build a blue economy, and all points of the conference’s declaration will also be included in the manifesto.
The party will also include the development of information and technology; the nutrition, fuel, and mineral sectors; and educating the youth.
Mega-projects will also be included in the party’s manifesto.
Sub-committee member Mashiur Rahman said Awami League will consider feedback from all types of people before finalizing the election manifesto.
“The policymakers are keen to ascertain average people’s desires and demands before finalizing the election manifesto; and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the manifesto committee to know average people’s views,” he said, in Sylhet, recently.
He claimed that the next roadmap for a developed Bangladesh will be made based on the public’s views.
The main focus of Awami League’s election will be Vision 2041. The party will vow to build a sustainable developed country that will be free from poverty, terrorism, and extremism.
As a political party, Awami League will also admit its faults.
In the 2008 election manifesto, Awami League declared it would build a democratic system where people can: choose their government and use its services without hassle, enjoy freedom, live with dignity and get social justice, see their environment protected, access human rights and equal opportunities, and enjoy the rule of law and good governance.
The party also emphasized five issues, including: maintaining economic stability and control over commodity price hikes, multi-pronged measures to fight corruption, a comprehensive long-term policy on electricity and energy, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project, and reducing the number of poor people to 22 million in 2021.
In 2008, the number of unemployed people was estimated at 28 million, and the number should be further reduced to 15 million by 2021.
Senior party leaders believed that Awami League has fulfilled all its 2008 election-pledges.
Manifesto sub-committee Chief Abdur Razzque told the Dhaka Tribune that they are working on the manifesto but declined to comment on the details.
