The election manifesto of Awami League

A manifesto is a written statement or publication issued by a political party’s think tank before a general election. It contains the set of policies that the party stands for and would wish to implement if elected to govern. Electoral manifestos play a crucial role in visions of party democracy and political science analyses of party competition. Based on the characteristics of the candidates, the parties and the campaign, how party candidates may differ in attributing importance to their party's manifesto. The electoral manifesto is an important source of information for candidates on the positions of their own party.

The electoral manifesto is just one of many sets of political statements of my party during the campaign and has no particular significance. The electoral manifesto is a summary of valid party positions, from which candidates must not deviate. The electoral manifesto is well suited to be distributed directly to voters. Publishing the electoral manifesto is a compulsory exercise, but it is not particularly useful for the campaign. So the political parties should publish their vision and mission before the voters to acquire the voters’ support.

Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has unveiled her party's polls manifesto for 2024 general election, vowing to build a developed, prosperous and smart Bangladesh by 2041. In her manifesto, she declared that Bangladesh will be established as a high-middle-income country by 2031 and a developed, prosperous, smart one by 2041 by the Bangladesh Awami League, the bearer of the spirit of the Liberation War, if the people once again allow the Awami League to serve them by voting for the Boat.

The slogan of the AL's election manifesto is "Smart Bangladesh, where Development Shines, Accelerating Employment," as the manifesto has given priority to 11 issues. In the manifesto, the AL vowed to show zero tolerance against corruption and terrorism, alleviate poverty, create employment, and ensure service-oriented and accountable administration. The AL manifesto also put more focus on infrastructure development, freedom of the press and the practice of transparency, accountability, and good governance, as well as strengthened democratic values in all aspects of state management. It, also promised to be tougher against money launderers, to eradicate bribery and corruption at all levels of the state and society, to establish a universal health system, and to introduce health insurance.
The prime minister said we promise to learn from past mistakes and conduct future activities according to citizen expectations. Right now, Bangladesh is in a transitional period, and the country is going to join the ranks of developing countries on the list of least developed countries, she said. Only the Awami League can face this challenge and take the country to new heights, she said.

In the manifesto, the AL pledged to keep commodity prices within everyone's purchasing power and ensure job-oriented education and employment for youth. It also pledged to bring everyone under the coverage of a universal pension system, as well as making healthcare accessible for lower-income people. The party said it will work on boosting investment in integrated farming, mechanisation, and processing to make agriculture more profitable. In the manifesto, the AL vowed to show zero tolerance against corruption and terrorism. The AL manifesto also put more focus on press freedom and the practice of transparency, accountability, and good governance, as well as strengthened democratic values in all aspects of state management.

Noting that the Awami League government has ensured the free flow of information and freedom of media, Sheikh Hasina said arrangements will be made so that journalists do not face torture, intimidation, or false cases. As per the newly enacted law, the Cyber Security Act of 2023, the privacy and information of individuals will be protected, and appropriate measures will continue to be taken to prevent misuse.

In continuation of Vision 2021, basic health, and family welfare services will be enhanced and expanded under the programmes of Vision 2041, the AL chief said. To ensure digital healthcare, a unique health ID will be provided to every person in the country and hospital automation management will be introduced, she said. A universal health system will be established to ensure equal health care for all citizens. Health insurance will be introduced, and centres for non-communicable disease treatment and rehabilitation of senior citizens will be set up under the Healthy Ageing Scheme, the premier said. Mental health and autism healthcare facilities at all levels will be made more effective. Those initiatives are included in the election manifesto of the Awami League.

The Prime Minister said, "If elected, we will formulate appropriate policies and programmes to attract the entrepreneurial class," she said, adding that small, medium, and cottage industries, handloom, and sericulture will be preserved, and competitiveness will be enabled for employment expansion. "We will take initiatives to diversify leather and jute products and make these industries profitable. Private sector initiatives in the jute industry will be encouraged," she continued.
Not only that, the PM said, "If we are elected, support and subsidies for agriculture, i.e., investment support in agricultural materials to increase agricultural production, will continue. Usable agricultural machinery will be made readily available and accessible. Subsidy on agricultural machinery will be continued," she said. She also said steps will be taken for the development of commercial agriculture, biotechnology, genetic engineering, robotics, artificial intelligence, and Nano-technology, including the development of rural non-agricultural sectors, and suitable strategies will be adopted to deal with globalisation.

"Awami League has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. To this end, the government has taken a concerted initiative with the people and is working to root out societal corruption," she said. "To inspire an anti-corruption attitude among the students, book chapters on the evils of corruption and what to do to prevent corruption will be added to the education curriculum," she said.

The Awami League is committed to fighting terrorism, establishing democratic rights for all citizens, and improving people's quality of life, the premier said. "The supremacy of the constitution in the country's governance, the establishment of the rule of law, and the formation of a society free from terrorism will be ensured," she said. "Bangladesh is home to people of all religions, castes, and professions. We want a non-communal Bangladesh," she added.

The AL president said Bangladesh has been transformed in the last 15 years, as today's Bangladesh is by no means poverty-stricken or economically fragile. "I can unequivocally say that today's Bangladesh is now a 'changed Bangladesh.' Bangladesh is now a fast-paced country moving forward with its potential. Minor setbacks cannot hinder our economic progress  today." The manifesto is admirable and the implementation of those issues is challenging. But if the government and the people of Bangladesh implement the manifesto properly, then “Smart Bangladesh, where Development Shines, Accelerating Employment” dreams must be possible. In the manifesto, the AL declares a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and the people of Bangladesh assume that the government will succeed as compared with terrorism.   

The writer is Assistant Professor and Chairman, Department of Criminology and Police Science, University of Chittagong.