From 2009 to 2023, in these 15 years, Bangladesh Awami League (AL) government set a new precedent for fulfilling its promises to the people of Bangladesh. The government’s strengthened success in combating the rise of conflicts, terrorism and extremism has instilled a new sense of confidence in the people. Now the people of Bangladesh believe ‘Leadership matters, Sheikh Hasina matters.’ As the political landscape of Bangladesh gears up for the 12th Parliamentary election, the AL has set the stage with the release of its comprehensive election manifesto-2024. With a glorious history of governance and a commitment to inclusive growth, the AL aims to secure the trust of the voters by presenting a detailed plan that addresses the pressing challenges facing the country. The Election Manifesto-2024, with the slogan “Smart Bangladesh: Visible Development, Increased Employment,” was announced by AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on December 27, 2023. Like the previous successful implementation of manifestoes of previous elections, the AL is confident to implement the manifesto of 2024 election effectively if they can form the government winning the next 12th parliamentary election held on 7 January 2024.
Achievements of Present Awami League Government:
Earlier, AL had announced the election manifesto with the slogan “The Charter of Change” before the 9th National Parliament elections in 2008. It promised to build a digital Bangladesh by 2021. In 2014, it was “Bangladesh is Moving Forward.” Last in 2018, the ruling party announced the election manifesto under the slogan ‘Bangladesh on the march of prosperity’. During these three previous regimes, Bangladesh has experienced proper implementation of the election manifestos along with unprecedented development of all sectors. Some of the major achievements of the present government are: The per capita income is 2793 USD; Present budget size is 7 lakh 61 thousand crore taka; Size of GDP is 50 lakh 31 thousand crore taka; Export earning is 53.97 billion USD; Reduced poverty rate is 18.7%; Maternal mortality rate is 161 persons(per lakh); Power generation capacity is 28 thousand 562 MW; Number of government doctor is 30 thousand 173 persons; Number of government hospital beds is 71 thousand; Literacy rate is 76.8%; Girls’ participation in primary education is 98.25%; Number of primary schools is 118891; The amount of grain production is 4 crore 92 lakh 16 thousand metric tons; The number of rehabilitation of landless homeless families is 8 lakh 47 thousand 714; 78.55% people are under internet coverage and usage; Number of IT freelancers is 6 lakh 80 thousand persons; Total 10 crore 81 lakh thousand persons are under beneficiaries in social safety net program; The amount district, regional & national highways is 32678 km; Number of working population is 12 crore 33 lakh persons; 43.44% women are participating in work force and minimum wages of workers is 12500 Tk etc. Additionally, the inauguration of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge has brought many districts of the southern region under road connectivity with Dhaka. The Dhaka Metro Rail is a step towards building a smart Bangladesh. The construction of Bangabandhu tunnel under the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram, connecting Patenga with Anwara, has transformed the Port City into a “One Way, Two Town” model. The opening of terminal 3 of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is another milestone for Bangladesh.
Let’s Explore the AL’s Election Manifesto for 2024 Election:
The twelfth election manifesto of 2024 contains the continuation of the long-term action programmes that were declared in the election manifestos of 2008, 2014, and 2018. The manifesto-2024 opens with a bold vision to transform Bangladesh into a modern and prosperous nation. Acknowledging the achievements of the past and learning from challenges and mistakes, the manifesto emphasizes a forward-looking approach that focuses on employment, good governance, and fourth industrial revolution. In addition, it has been reaffirmed that Bangladesh will reach upper-middle income status by 2031 and become a sophisticated, wealthy, and intelligent nation by 2041.The manifesto also highlights the party’s commitment to building a Bangladesh that is not only economically robust but also socially equitable, where no one is left behind. 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:
In the new manifesto, AL has promised to establish consistency between market price and income. Correlation between market value and income will be established. Strict measures will be taken to control price hike in the market.
2. Ensuring job-oriented education and employment for youth:
If AL is elected, the goal of development and growth will be to improve the standard of living of the people, which will be achieved through employment. The youth will be involved in the transformation and development of Bangladesh. Youth training and self-employment will be arranged to increase employment. 31 lakh youth will be trained at district and upazila level. Besides, by the year 2030, steps will be taken to create employment for an additional one and a half crore people. To modernize Madrasa education, appropriate Curriculum formulation and implementation will continue. The stipend will continue to increase in line with the expansion of Women’s education. The access to higher education for the children of poor and weaker communities will be further expanded. Vocational training will be provided to enhance the skills of the disadvantaged and backward communities so that they can come into the mainstream of society by engaging in income-generating activities.
3. Building a Smart Bangladesh based on modern technology:
If elected, Bangladesh will be developed as a smart country free from hunger and poverty by 2041. In this case, ‘Smart Bangladesh’ will be built mainly through the formation of smart citizens, smart government, smart economy and smart society in keeping with the fourth industrial revolution. Emphasis will be given on innovation, and entrepreneurship, digital technologies, building modern infrastructure including high-speed internet, smart grids, and efficient transportation networks, digital banking, moving away from RMG dependence and fostering growth in high-tech industries, renewable energy, and knowledge-based sectors. To make smart society, poverty will be reduced to 11 percent by 2028 in Bangladesh, end extreme poverty by 2031 and reduce the poverty rate to 3 percent by 2041. In addition, efforts will be made to develop an efficient, enterprising, IT-based, corruption-free and public-welfare-oriented administrative system through merit-based recruitment. It is also mentioned that financial support, advisory services, and resources for women entrepreneurs and startups, especially in the technology and innovation sectors, will be ensured. Accessibility to capital for women involved in e-commerce or women-owned businesses will be facilitated through grants, loans, and investment initiatives.
4. Boosting investment in integrated farming, mechanisation, and processing to make agriculture more profitable:
If 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. Commercial agriculture, biotechnology, genetic engineering, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, including the development of rural non-agricultural sectors, and suitable strategies will be adopted to deal with globalization. Emphasis will continue to be given to the modernization of agriculture, technological innovation, and expansion of agricultural research facilities. Livestock productivity will be increased by 1.5 times by 2028. Soft loans, necessary subsidies, technical advice, and policy support will be provided to establish commercial dairy and poultry farms, increase self-employment, and alleviate poverty. The provision of agricultural loans at 4% concessional interest will continue; the central bank will refinance commercial banks at a 0.5% rate, encouraging them to distribute more agricultural loans.
5. Expanding industry by maximising existing infrastructure and enhancing investment:
Industrial development and investment will continue to be encouraged. The supply of gas and LPG will be greatly increased to ensure gas supply in the northern and western regions of the country. Besides, the plan to increase the power generation capacity to 40 thousand MW by 2030 and 60 thousand MW by 2041 will be implemented. The AL will continue the importance of the private sector in economic development and use opportunities for joint investment between the public and private sectors where reasonable. More than 2 million new people join the country’s labour force annually. One of the main goals of the Awami League is to create employment opportunities for each of them. To achieve this, AL has developed 100 Special Economic Zones. To develop the Industry Sector, AL will establish new industries. If elected, AL will formulate appropriate policies and programs to attract the entrepreneurial class. Small, medium, and cottage industries, handloom, and sericulture will be preserved, and competitiveness will be enabled for employment expansion. Banarasi and Jamdani industries will be encouraged. AL will take initiatives to diversify leather and jute products and make these industries profitable. Private sector initiatives in the jute industry will be encouraged. Incentives will be given as per requirement for these industries. Measures will be taken to extract marine resources, oil, gas, minerals, fisheries, and aquatic resources. Seaports and deep seaports have been constructed, which have created opportunities for the expansion of trade and commerce. The AL’s manifesto promises that, considering financial management, some expensive projects have been suspended, which will be reconsidered and implemented as appropriate. The consideration and adoption of economically feasible new projects will continue.
6. Enhancing efficiency and capacity in financial sector including the banking:
In this case, effective action will be taken against the money smugglers and initiatives will be taken to bring back the smuggled money with the cooperation of the concerned country. Debt-tax-bill defaulters and corrupt persons will be punished, and their illegal assets confiscated. Attempts to control borrowing opportunities by repeatedly rescheduling defaulted loans will continue. Laws will be strictly enforced to recover defaulted loans. It will be ensured that the bank will maintain the prescribed provision for defaulted loans. Besides, commercial banks will be kept free of influence so that management and evaluation of loan proposals are objective. Credit provision for self-employment of employable trained youth will be extended. Import and export trade will be balanced, reducing uncertainty in the supply of foreign exchange.
7. Making healthcare accessible for people with lower income:
Basic health and family welfare services will be improved and expanded. For this purpose, besides giving a unique health ID to every citizen of the country, automation system will be introduced in hospitals. Also, universal health system will be introduced to ensure that all citizens of the country get the same health care. In continuation of Vision-2021, basic health, and family welfare services will be enhanced and expanded under the programs of Vision 2041. Primary health care and medicine distribution free of cost will be continued through community clinics. Furthermore, Health Insurance will be introduced, and Centres for Non-communicable Disease Treatment and Rehabilitation of Senior Citizens will be set up under the Healthy Aging Scheme. The country’s API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) industry will be encouraged. The use of antibiotics will be controlled. Mental health and autism healthcare facilities at all levels will be made more effective.
8. Bringing everyone under the coverage of a universal pension system:
The Universal Pension Management Act was enacted in January 2023, and the Universal Pension System was inaugurated on 17 August 2023. It is for people from all aspects of the society. There are four schemes: 1. ‘Probash’ for expatriate Bangladeshi citizens; 2. ‘Progoti’ for Officers/Employees of Privately Owned/Private Institutions; 3. ‘Surokkha’ for self-employed citizens; and 4. ‘Somota’ for the self-employed ultra-poor people. AL urges all citizens to take this opportunity to safeguard their future lives.
9. Ensuring effectiveness and accountability of law enforcement agencies:
A people-friendly, smart and modern law enforcement force will be built. In this regard, steps will be taken to increase the efficiency and capacity of the forces. The efficiency and discipline of the Defence Forces will continue to improve, and management will continue to develop in light of Forces Goal 2030.
10. Preventing communalism, all forms of terrorism and militancy:
Efforts to build a non-communal Bangladesh will be continued along with fighting terrorism. For this purpose, the supremacy of the constitution in the governance of the state, the establishment of the rule of law and the formation of a society free from terrorism will be ensured. Along with Bangladesh, AL will play an important role in forming the South Asia Task Force with the aim of eradicating terrorism and militancy from this region.
Various programs, including social safety schemes, are being implemented to integrate the people of ethnic minority communities into mainstream development. To protect the interests of minorities, the National Commission for Minorities will be formed, and the Special Protection of Minorities Act will be enacted. AL will continue to take necessary steps to ensure the security of life and livelihood of religious minorities, small ethnic groups, and backward communities.
11. Protecting democratic systems and promoting its practices at all levels.
The practice of transparency, accountability, good governance and democratic values will be strengthened in all aspects of state management. Rule of law, fundamental human rights, political, economic and social equality, freedom and justice will be ensured. In this case, human rights will be ensured by upholding the constitution. Measures will continue to ensure universal human rights and prevent any attempt to violate human rights. The independence and dignity of the judiciary will be preserved. Besides, measures to ensure the independence and functioning of the National Human Rights Commission will be continued. Freedom of the media and ensuring free flow of information will continue. In this case, torture of journalists, intimidation and false cases will be prevented. Besides, the privacy and information of individuals will be preserved as per the ‘Cyber Security Act, 2023’. Adequate measures will continue to be taken to prevent misuse of this law. At the same time equitable distribution of wealth should be ensured and increasing income inequality in the society should be brought down to a bearable level.
Other points covered in the manifesto:
The work of ending all forms of harassment including corruption, bureaucratic complications will continue. Besides, the new salary structure will be determined in accordance with the commodity prices. Zero tolerance policy against corruption will continue. In order to prevent corruption in administration, the use of information technology will be expanded in all areas. By decentralizing powers, the capacity and scope of autonomy of municipalities and city corporations including Union, Upazila and Zilla Parishads will be increased. Plans have been adopted to make safe water supply systems more environmentally friendly by 2028. The policies that have already been adopted to protect Bangladesh from the effects of climate change, promote a pollution-free environment and protect water resources, will continue to be implemented. Modern urban facilities will be extended to every village. Increase allocation in the education sector and expand access to higher education for children of poor communities.
As Bangladesh stands at a crucial juncture in its development journey, the AL’s election manifesto-2024 Parliamentary election offers a comprehensive vision for the future. The manifesto reflects the AL’s commitment to building a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Bangladesh that can meet the challenges of the 21st century. As voters evaluate the promises outlined in this document, the upcoming election will undoubtedly be important for continuation of democracy but also in shaping the nation’s journey to be a developed country.
