Awami League unveils election manifesto prioritising 11 key areas

Bangladesh Awami League has unveiled its manifesto for the 12th parliamentary election prioritising 11 key areas that include ensuring affordable commodity prices and creating jobs.

With a theme of Smart Bangladesh, the party placed the manifesto with the slogan “Tangible development, employment will increase this time.”

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina unveiled the manifesto at a programme at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka hotel at around 10:30 am on Wednesday.

At the beginning of her speech, Sheikh Hasina highlighted the achievement of her government in various areas including increase in per capita income, GDP, size of budget, power generation and electrification, infrastructure, education and health.

She quoted Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rhaman as saying that none can suppress the Bengalese any longer.

Awami League manifesto committee chief and presidium member Muhammad Abdur Razzaque delivered the welcome address at the event while general secretary Obaidul Quader also spoke at the event.

The party announced the polls manifesto “A Charter for Change” for 9th Parliamentary Election in 2008 promising to build a Digital Bangladesh by 2021.

The Awami League unveiled the manifesto “Bangladesh Marching Ahead: Road to Peace, Democracy and Prosperity” for the 10th parliamentary election in 2014 and the “Bangladesh on the march toward prosperity” for the 11th parliamentary election in 2018.

The 11 key areas that Awami League will emphasise in the next five years, if it wins the upcoming election, are:

1. Striving to keep commodity prices within everyone's purchasing power;

2. Ensuring job-oriented education and employment for youth;

3. Building a Smart Bangladesh based on modern technology;

4. Boosting investment in integrated farming, mechanisation, and processing to make agriculture more profitable;

5. Expanding industry by maximising existing infrastructure and enhancing investment;

6. Enhancing efficiency and capacity in financial sector including the banking;

7. Making healthcare accessible for people with lower income;

8. Bringing everyone under the coverage of a universal pension system;

9. Ensuring effectiveness and accountability of law enforcement agencies;

10. Preventing communalism, all forms of terrorism and militancy; and

11. Protecting democratic systems and promoting its practices at all levels.