1.28cr new jobs in 5 years

Promises AL as Hasina unveils party manifesto with slogan ‘march towards prosperity’

Awami League (AL) president Sheikh Hasina unveiled her party’s manifesto for the 11th parliamentary election with the slogan “Bangladesh on the march towards prosperity” in the city yesterday. The manifesto made 21-point special promises including the expansion of modern urban facilities to villages and creation of 1.28 crore jobs in a bid to fight unemployment.

Hasina called on the people to vote for the ‘boat’ (AL’s electoral symbol) in the December 30 polls. “If you vote for us in the polls and if we are voted to power, we will give you prosperity,” she said after unveiling the manifesto at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. Asking the people to forgive her and her party colleagues for their mistakes, the AL chief said, “To err is human. Sometimes we made mistakes while discharging our duties. I request you to forgive us. I promise we will build a better future for all by taking lessons from the past.”

“I don’t do politics for my own. I do politics for you.

The only objective of my politics is the welfare of the people and to turn the country into Bangabandhu’s Sonar Bangla,” she said.

As per one of the ruling party’s special promises—‘My village, my town’, AL claimed it will undertake various programmes

to upgrade villages to cities. Electricity will reach every household, and all the villages will be connected to the district and upazila towns via concrete roads. Mills and factories will be built in every district and upazilas to create employment and internet and information technology will reach everywhere, she said.

Hasina announced that employment opportunities will be created for 1.28 crore youths, while 1000 youths—both male and female—in each upazila will get overseas jobs if her party was voted to power again.

The Prime Minister also promised to take steps to make parliament more effective and strengthen the judiciary if voted to power again.

The ruling party’s special pledges also included taking steps for the development of the youth by turning them into a proper work force, showing zero tolerance towards corruption, ensuring women’s empowerment, gender equality, the development of children, ensuring nutritious and safe foods, eradication of terrorism, communalism and drugs, speedy implementations of mega projects, strengthening democracy and rule of law, eradication of the poverty, increasing qualities of education in every stage, increasing investments in public and private sectors, ensuring qualitative health services for all, increasing use of digital technologies, ensuring power and energy securities, introduction of modern agricultural system, introduction of trained and people friendly administration, introduction f pro-people law enforcing forces, initiate the use of ‘Blue economy’, road safety, welfare of senior citizens, disabled and autistic people, and sustainable development for building a prosperous Bangladesh.

The AL manifesto also pledged to form a National Minority Commission to ensure the safety of minority communities. Laws that discriminate against religious and ethnic minorities would be amended and the property rights of these communities ensured within a fixed timeframe, it added.

Moreover, steps would be taken to implement the sections of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord that have not yet been implemented, the party said.

Every citizen under one year of age and those above 65 years will get free medical care if AL was voted to power, Hasina said, adding that medical universities will be established in every divisional headquarters and the community clinics will be modernized gradually.

The manifesto also highlighted the success of Hasina’s government over the past 10 years and focused on the plans in social, economic, political and cultural sectors to build a prosperous country.

Aimed at putting in place a skilled, service-oriented and accountable administration, the PM said work on building a technology-based, corruption-free and mass-oriented administration would continue. “Transparency, accountability and fairness in the civil administration will be ensured,” she added. The PM reiterated her commitment to build a people-friendly law enforcement agency, saying their recruitments would be made proportionate to the population.

Hasina said if elected to power again, her government would continue to pursue the “zero tolerance” policy against militancy, drugs and corruption.

As part of a comprehensive anti-graft campaign, she said the Anti-corruption Commission would be strengthened, public awareness programmes will be undertaken and ICT will be used to check corruption.

Sheikh Hasina said her government had undertaken a plan to increase the GDP growth to 10 per cent in the next five years.

“The per capita income of the people of Bangladesh will be over $5,479. The poverty rate will come down towards zero by 2041 (if we return to power),” she said.

She also reiterated her government’s commitment to implement ongoing mega projects like Padma Bridge, Rooppur Nuclear power plant, Rampal coal-fired power plant, Deep sea port, Dhaka Mass Rapid Development transit project, LNG terminal, Moheshkhali-Matarbari integrated infrastructure development project, Payra sea port, Padma Bridge rail link and construction of Rail truck between Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar.

Hasina said bullet trains between Dhaka and the divisional cities will be introduced and a 35-km-long elevated expressway from Airport to Chandra via Ashulia and a 40-km elevated expressway from Hemayatpur of Savar and Madanpur of Narayanganj will be constructed.

The PM said modern bus services will be introduced in the capital for bringing discipline in the mass transport system. Underpass/overpasses will be constructed adjacent to educational institutions located near highways. A tunnel will be constructed under river Jamuna for easing communication with the northern region.

She said the independence of mass media and free flow of information will be upheld. The security of journalists and media staff will be ensured for their professional duties. “A media-friendly Act will be formulated. There will be no misuse of any law against journalists and mass media,” she added. AL general secretary Obaidul Quader and chairman of the manifesto preparatory committee Muhammad Abdur Razzaque gave the welcome speech at the programme, which was conducted by the party’s publicity secretary, Dr Hasan Mahmud.

The programme began with a video showcasing Bangladesh’s progress during AL’s two consecutive terms since 2009.

 

1.28cr new jobs in 5 years

Promises AL as Hasina unveils party manifesto with slogan march towards prosperity

Awami League (AL) president Sheikh Hasina unveiled her partys manifesto for the 11th parliamentary election with the slogan Bangladesh on the march towards prosperity in the city yesterday. The manifesto made 21-point special promises including the expansion of modern urban facilities to villages and creation of 1.28 crore jobs in a bid to fight unemployment. Hasina called on the people to vote for the boat (ALs electoral symbol) in the December 30 polls. If you vote for us in the polls and if we are voted to power, we will give you prosperity, she said after unveiling the manifesto at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. Asking the people to forgive her and her party colleagues for their mistakes, the AL chief said, To err is human. Sometimes we made mistakes while discharging our duties. I request you to forgive us. I promise we will build a better future for all by taking lessons from the past. I dont do politics for my own. I do politics for you. The only objective of my politics is the welfare of the people and to turn the country into Bangabandhus Sonar Bangla, she said. As per one of the ruling partys special promisesMy village, my town, AL claimed it will undertake various programmes to upgrade villages to cities. Electricity will reach every household, and all the villages will be connected to the district and upazila towns via concrete roads. Mills and factories will be built in every district and upazilas to create employment and internet and information technology will reach everywhere, she said. Hasina announced that employment opportunities will be created for 1.28 crore youths, while 1000 youthsboth male and femalein each upazila will get overseas jobs if her party was voted to power again. The Prime Minister also promised to take steps to make parliament more effective and strengthen the judiciary if voted to power again. The ruling partys special pledges also included taking steps for the development of the youth by turning them into a proper work force, showing zero tolerance towards corruption, ensuring womens empowerment, gender equality, the development of children, ensuring nutritious and safe foods, eradication of terrorism, communalism and drugs, speedy implementations of mega projects, strengthening democracy and rule of law, eradication of the poverty, increasing qualities of education in every stage, increasing investments in public and private sectors, ensuring qualitative health services for all, increasing use of digital technologies, ensuring power and energy securities, introduction of modern agricultural system, introduction of trained and people friendly administration, introduction f pro-people law enforcing forces, initiate the use of Blue economy, road safety, welfare of senior citizens, disabled and autistic people, and sustainable development for building a prosperous Bangladesh. The AL manifesto also pledged to form a National Minority Commission to ensure the safety of minority communities. Laws that discriminate against religious and ethnic minorities would be amended and the property rights of these communities ensured within a fixed timeframe, it added. Moreover, steps would be taken to implement the sections of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord that have not yet been implemented, the party said. Every citizen under one year of age and those above 65 years will get free medical care if AL was voted to power, Hasina said, adding that medical universities will be established in every divisional headquarters and the community clinics will be modernized gradually. The manifesto also highlighted the success of Hasinas government over the past 10 years and focused on the plans in social, economic, political and cultural sectors to build a prosperous country. Aimed at putting in place a skilled, service-oriented and accountable administration, the PM said work on building a technology-based, corruption-free and mass-oriented administration would continue. Transparency, accountability and fairness in the civil administration will be ensured, she added. The PM reiterated her commitment to build a people-friendly law enforcement agency, saying their recruitments would be made proportionate to the population. Hasina said if elected to power again, her government would continue to pursue the zero tolerance policy against militancy, drugs and corruption. As part of a comprehensive anti-graft campaign, she said the Anti-corruption Commission would be strengthened, public awareness programmes will be undertaken and ICT will be used to check corruption. Sheikh Hasina said her government had undertaken a plan to increase the GDP growth to 10 per cent in the next five years. The per capita income of the people of Bangladesh will be over $5,479. The poverty rate will come down towards zero by 2041 (if we return to power), she said. She also reiterated her governments commitment to implement ongoing mega projects like Padma Bridge, Rooppur Nuclear power plant, Rampal coal-fired power plant, Deep sea port, Dhaka Mass Rapid Development transit project, LNG terminal, Moheshkhali-Matarbari integrated infrastructure development project, Payra sea port, Padma Bridge rail link and construction of Rail truck between Chittagong and Coxs Bazar. Hasina said bullet trains between Dhaka and the divisional cities will be introduced and a 35-km-long elevated expressway from Airport to Chandra via Ashulia and a 40-km elevated expressway from Hemayatpur of Savar and Madanpur of Narayanganj will be constructed. The PM said modern bus services will be introduced in the capital for bringing discipline in the mass transport system. Underpass/overpasses will be constructed adjacent to educational institutions located near highways. A tunnel will be constructed under river Jamuna for easing communication with the northern region. She said the independence of mass media and free flow of information will be upheld. The security of journalists and media staff will be ensured for their professional duties. A media-friendly Act will be formulated. There will be no misuse of any law against journalists and mass media, she added. AL general secretary Obaidul Quader and chairman of the manifesto preparatory committee Muhammad Abdur Razzaque gave the welcome speech at the programme, which was conducted by the partys publicity secretary, Dr Hasan Mahmud. The programme began with a video showcasing Bangladeshs progress during ALs two consecutive terms since 2009.