BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia is set to announce the much-talked-about "Vision 2030" of the party at a press conference today (Wednesday), targeting to take Bangladesh to a higher level middle-income country during the period. The party finalised "Vision 2030" after a series of meetings of the party standing committee, the party's highest policymaking body, and its intellectuals during the last couple of days.
Leaders of different political parties, diplomats, senior journalists and civil society members have been invited to attend the press conference scheduled to be held at Hotel Westine at 4:30pm, according to party sources.
This will contain numerous promises, including reducing prime ministerial powers, but there is little chance to include introduction of the bicameral parliament in the face of opposition from most of the standing committee members.
The former premier had a four-and-a-half-hour
meeting with standing committee members at her Gulshan office on Monday night to finalise the draft of "Vision 2030" prepared by some pro-BNP intellectuals, university teachers and diplomats.
The standing committee members sat again yesterday   morning to review the documents minutely for fine-tuning the details. Khaleda, however, could not attend the meeting, which continued for over three hours, because of pain in her legs.
The BNP secretary general placed the amendments to the
proposals before the chairperson in the evening and the document was finalised later in the night.
"Vision 2030" is likely to suggest introduction of a referendum system in the Constitution for taking any decision on issues of national importance. It will also introduce three Gs—good policy, good governance and good government—to ensure good governance in the country, according to party sources.
However, "Vision 2030" is different from the party's election manifesto or demand for a planned election-time supportive government, said party leaders.
Standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said "Vision 2030" has been prepared in line with the suggestions made by the party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, during the party's national council on March 19 last year.
He said that earlier in the council, the chairperson had given a brief idea on "Vision 2030" and this she would unveil before the nation in details. The former minister also said since it would be a document of the party, they have made an overall review and brought many changes during the meetings.
Asked whether the proposal for introduction of a bicameral Parliament will be in "Vision 2030", Hossain parried a direct answer, saying that the matter has been discussed thoroughly with opinions for and against it.
The BNP assistant office secretary, Taiful Islam Tipu, said they went to the Awami League (AL) office at Dhanmondi to hand over an invitation letter to party leaders to join Wednesday's programme, but the office did not accept it.