Ali Imam Majumder

Ali Imam Majumder, a former cabinet secretary, said the Awami League's manifesto reflected the development works carried out by its government in the last 10 years.

"They said they would learn lessons from the past mistakes and if they do it for real, the nation will benefit," he said.

Ali Imam was critical about the ruling party's role against the opposition parties, saying it did not allow any political space to the opposition in the last 10 years, not even during the elections.

About the BNP's manifesto, he said the rosy words it had mentioned did not match their past history.

"They are promising to bring balance of power between the president and the prime minister, but unfortunately the party's power centres around only one person," he said.

That's why there is still apprehension about its sincerity to fulfil the pledges, he said.

He hoped that the party would be more sincere to materialise the promises, if voted to power.

Syed Manzoorul Islam

Noted writer and columnist Syed Manzoorul Islam said, "The Awami League's manifesto is practical and detailed. They prepared it keeping in mind what they have done and what they can do. It does not reflect many of the popular aspects like digital security act."

“The BNP is not in power, so it is easy for them to make an attractive manifesto. They did it as they touched upon the interests of all the quarters. The BNP's manifesto is very ambitious. The proposals are more attractive but absolutely lacking the strategic details,” he said.

Manzoorul, a retired Dhaka University professor, however, said the manifesto was meaningless if the proposals were not implementable.

Prof Hasanuzzaman

Prof Al Masud Hasanuzzaman, a teacher at Jahangirnagar University, said the AL's manifesto focuses mostly on development and its pledges to continue the development works.

On the other hand, the BNP focuses on democracy and the rule of law and there are some surprises in the manifesto, he said.

The challenge for the AL is to establish good governance in the country as it has promised. If good governance is ensured, democracy and development will also be ensured, he added.

On the contrary, it is challenging for the BNP to meet many of its promises -- especially in cases where constitutional amendment is required.

To implement those pledges, it will require a two-thirds majority in parliament.

DR Iftekharuzzaman

Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of the Transparency International Bangladesh, said the AL president's call to consider her party's failures with a forgiving attitude may be viewed as refreshing, especially in a culture where political leaders are not known to acknowledge mistakes.

"This is important because she has also promised to learn from mistakes if she is given a mandate to move on. One would wish her Godspeed as her party takes the challenge of being truthful to this commitment," he said.

He also said the party's commitment to ensure inclusive development was extremely important and raised hopes. The proponents of such a commitment are however expected to realise that inclusive development is impossible in a situation where people's voice and demand raising potentials are restricted by curtailing free media, freedom of speech and opinion, and right to assembly.

"Therefore, if truthful to this commitment, they must also pledge to amend the laws like Digital Security Act and refrain from all types of actions against free media and freedom of speech that are sine qua non for inclusive growth."

Equally important is the commitment for zero tolerance to corruption which was also reflected in AL's earlier manifestos, he said.

Iftekharuzzaman said it would take quite an effort to faithfully deliver on this pledge. The key to it would be the courage and capacity to punish the corrupt without fear or favour and depoliticise the key institutions of accountability which had been converted into monopolised territories of the ruling party.

These include the bureaucracy, law enforcement agencies, judiciary, anti-corruption commission and not least the parliament itself, he said, adding, "If these institutions are not allowed to operate in public interest, independently, transparently and with professional integrity, the talk about zero tolerance for corruption will remain a paper tiger."

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said BNP has failed to plunge the December 30 national election into controversy even after knocking at the doors of its foreign friends.

“They (BNP) wrote letters to different countries to make the election questionable but their motive has gone in vain,” Quader, also the minister for Road Transport and Bridges, told reporters after visiting construction site of the second Kanchpur Bridge on Dhaka-Chattogram and Dhaka-Sylhet highways in Narayanganj’s Sonargaon upazila.

BNP also completely failed to ensure momentum of their anti-government movement as people did not take to the streets by responding their call, the Awami League leader said.

Replying to a query about BNP’s decision to refrain from participating in the upcoming upazila elections, the minister said no political parity can sustain without taking part in election.

He said the heads of different countries including UK and Switzerland welcomed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following the formation of government under her leadership for the fourth time.

Claiming that people would not throng the streets responding to the BNP’s call, Quader said BNP is engaged in negative politics and thus it will lose its foreign friends as well as the trust of the countrymen.

Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sayeed Khokon today said all the temporary election camps set up during the 11th national polls will be removed within the quickest possible time.

The Mayor said this while inaugurating removal work of makeshift election camps at Segunbagicha in the city on Saturday.

Sayeed Khokon said that earlier instruction was given to remove all election-related posters, banners, and other campaign materials within next 48 hours. Most of them were removed by this time while some are still visible in differed areas of the city, he said.

"If you see any poster, banner or festoon on flyover or in any other place then you will inform us to keep the city clean," Khokon said.

"We want to remove all the temporary election camps so that people can walk freely on pavements and we can keep our city clean," he added.

The High Court yesterday rejected a writ petition that had challenged the legality of oath taking of the lawmakers elected in the December 30 polls.

A HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal passed the order considering that petition was not filed properly.

After the order, lawmakers elected in the 11th parliamentary polls have no bar to perform their duties, said Attorney General Mahbubey Alam.

Also read: HC order on petition against oath-taking of MPs today

On January 14, advocate Taherul Islam Tawhid filed the petition praying for a rule on the Election Commission and the government to explain why the oath taking should not be declared illegal.

The lawyer also sought necessary HC orders on the authorities concerned to prevent the new lawmakers from discharging their functions.

Meanwhile, petitioner's lawyer barrister AM Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star that they would file a fresh writ petition with the HC challenging the same issue.

The tenure of the 10th parliament will expire on January 28 and new lawmakers will take charge on January 30.

♦ Per capita income over $5,479 by 2030

♦ Social safety net coverage to double 

♦ Form National Minority Commission

♦ People-friendly law enforcement agencies

♦ At least one earning-member in every family

The ruling Awami League's election manifesto will make promises of strengthening democracy, rule of law and ridding the country of corruption under the tagline “Bangladesh on the March of Prosperity”.

AL leaders involved in drafting the document said it would make 21 pledges, including complete eradication of poverty by 2041, social safety net increased twofold and at least one earning member in every family.

AL President Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to unveil the “Election Manifesto 2018” at a city hotel at 10:00 am today.

The party that has been in power since 2009 would also make promises of ensuring quality education at every stage, more government and private investments, use of digital technology for development and quality health service for all.

The agenda also includes safe roads, self-reliance in power and energy, women empowerment, gender equality, child welfare and nutritious food, modern farming, skilled and service-oriented public administration, people-friendly law enforcement agencies and welfare for senior citizens and persons with disabilities and autism.

Sustainable and inclusive development, urban amenities in rural areas, transformation of young people into skilled manpower and their employment, adoption of a zero tolerance policy towards corruption, eradication of communalism, militancy and drugs, and immediate implementation of mega projects will also be mentioned in the manifesto.

The AL slogan for the 2014 national polls was “Bangladesh Marching Forward” and for 2008 “Right to Vote and Food: Tools to Eliminate Poverty”.

The party also pledges to form a National Minority Commission and enact the Special Minority Protection Act to ensure safety of communities. Laws that discriminate religious and ethnic minorities will be amended and the communities' property rights will be ensured through a reformation of the “Vested Property Act” within a fixed timeframe.

Special quotas will remain for the underprivileged and ethnic minorities in recruitment and admission to educational institutions.

Women's enrolment in higher education and recruitment in higher administrative positions will ensure their empowerment. Women's entrepreneurship will be encouraged through special banking services, easy access to loans and vocational training.

There will be equal wage for men and women, and every government institution will have a day-care centre while the allocation for programmes designed to combat discrimination will increase.

Considering around 70 percent of the voters are aged 35 or below and over two crore new names have been added to the voters' list since the 2008 election, the AL manifesto targets the youth.

The party aims to increase per capita income to over $5,479 by 2030, bring the poverty rate down to zero by 2041 and achieve nine percent GDP growth in the next 20 years.

Bangladesh will be a middle income country by 2021, upper middle income by 2030 and developed by 2041.

The number of people living in extreme poverty will come down to five percent and poverty to 12.3 percent.

Export earning, growth and investment will increase while the banking and financial sectors are developed and money laundering prevented.