2 main parties set sights on ’19 polls

Both the ruling Awami League (AL) and its arch rival the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are making elaborate preparations for contesting the general elections scheduled to be held in 2019. Both the parties have started working on their election manifestos. The last general election was held on January 5, 2014. It was boycotted by the BNP, as then AL-led government had not paid any heed to the BNP’s demand for holding the polls under a neutral administration.
However, the BNP will have to take part in the 11th parliamentary election, otherwise, its registration as a political party would be cancelled, said party insiders. Moreover, it would be difficult for the BNP to survive as a political party, if the party leaders do not join the next general election, they added.
As per the Representation of the People Order, 1972, (RPO) the BNP may lose its registration with the Election Commission if the party does not take part in the 11th parliamentary election.
The AL has started drafting its election manifesto. Insiders said the party would once again put emphasis on development projects.
Talking to this correspondent, AL office secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap said: “Yes, as per the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we have started preparing for the next general election. Our party chief has instructed the party advisory council to form separate cells, based on different issues and areas, to prepare the poll manifesto.”
When contacted over the issue, AL organising secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim recently told The Independent, "We are making preparations for the next general election from now on. Our party chief and Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina had directed us to get ready for polls."
About drafting of the election manifesto, the AL leader said the party would prepare its manifesto in line with the Seventh Five Year Plan taken up by the government. He also said, this time, the party would highlight unfinished infrastructure projects for welfare of the people.
AL President Sheikh Hasina recently instructed her party leaders and workers to prepare for the next general election. At the same time, she told the party advisory council to form separate cells, based on different issues and areas, to prepare the manifesto.
“We need to make preparations for the next polls from now. We have stepped into the fourth year of our tenure. It is a total of straight eight years. So, the coming days will be challenging. And we have to complete the unfinished projects for welfare of the people,” she had said.
According to records of "fast-track" projects, all major infrastructure projects, except the Padma bridge, are yet to gain momentum, though they were included in the manifesto the party, presented before the one-sided polls on January 5, 2014. However, the party is working hard to take the country forward and make it a middle-income state by 2021, and a developed one by 2041. On the other hand, the BNP, too, is making elaborate preparations for the next general election, as the party has to take part in it.
The BNP standing committee member Lt. Gen. (retd.) Mahbubur Rahman said, “We are preparing for the next general election. At the same time, we will be sticking to our demand for holding the polls under a neutral administration. We've also started drafting our election manifesto. We will mainly focus on upholding democracy and the rule of law. We will also promise to the nation, through our manifesto, to build a corruption-free Bangladesh.”

2 main parties set sights on 19 polls

Both the ruling Awami League (AL) and its arch rival the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are making elaborate preparations for contesting the general elections scheduled to be held in 2019. Both the parties have started working on their election manifestos. The last general election was held on January 5, 2014. It was boycotted by the BNP, as then AL-led government had not paid any heed to the BNPs demand for holding the polls under a neutral administration. However, the BNP will have to take part in the 11th parliamentary election, otherwise, its registration as a political party would be cancelled, said party insiders. Moreover, it would be difficult for the BNP to survive as a political party, if the party leaders do not join the next general election, they added. As per the Representation of the People Order, 1972, (RPO) the BNP may lose its registration with the Election Commission if the party does not take part in the 11th parliamentary election. The AL has started drafting its election manifesto. Insiders said the party would once again put emphasis on development projects. Talking to this correspondent, AL office secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap said: Yes, as per the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we have started preparing for the next general election. Our party chief has instructed the party advisory council to form separate cells, based on different issues and areas, to prepare the poll manifesto. When contacted over the issue, AL organising secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim recently told The Independent, We are making preparations for the next general election from now on. Our party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had directed us to get ready for polls. About drafting of the election manifesto, the AL leader said the party would prepare its manifesto in line with the Seventh Five Year Plan taken up by the government. He also said, this time, the party would highlight unfinished infrastructure projects for welfare of the people. AL President Sheikh Hasina recently instructed her party leaders and workers to prepare for the next general election. At the same time, she told the party advisory council to form separate cells, based on different issues and areas, to prepare the manifesto. We need to make preparations for the next polls from now. We have stepped into the fourth year of our tenure. It is a total of straight eight years. So, the coming days will be challenging. And we have to complete the unfinished projects for welfare of the people, she had said. According to records of fast-track projects, all major infrastructure projects, except the Padma bridge, are yet to gain momentum, though they were included in the manifesto the party, presented before the one-sided polls on January 5, 2014. However, the party is working hard to take the country forward and make it a middle-income state by 2021, and a developed one by 2041. On the other hand, the BNP, too, is making elaborate preparations for the next general election, as the party has to take part in it. The BNP standing committee member Lt. Gen. (retd.) Mahbubur Rahman said, We are preparing for the next general election. At the same time, we will be sticking to our demand for holding the polls under a neutral administration. Weve also started drafting our election manifesto. We will mainly focus on upholding democracy and the rule of law. We will also promise to the nation, through our manifesto, to build a corruption-free Bangladesh.