Opposition alliance Jatiya Oikya Front’s polls manifesto will be based on BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s ‘Vision 2030’, where the former prime minister had pledged to constitutional reforms to create a balance of power.
The coalition has already formed a panel to formulate the electoral pledges for the 11th Parliamentary Election.
The manifesto will also focus on 11 goals which were unveiled at the launching of the coalition last month, said the coalition’s top leader Dr Kamal Hossain.
“Our sole objective is a free, fair and credible election. The manifesto will reflect what the people want, which will be based on the Oikya Front’s 11 goals,” he told Bangla Tribune on Saturday.
After intense negotiations, Dr Kamal, who leads the political party Ganoforum, on Oct 13 launched an alliance with the BNP, ASM Abdur Rab’s Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Mahmudur Rahman Manna’s Nagorik Oikya and the Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, a loose political platform.
Last month, Kader Siddique’s Krishak Sramik Janata League (KSJL) joined the coalition.
The coalition has announced that its candidates will use BNP’s ‘paddy sheaf’ as their polls logo for the voting slated for Dec 30.
Amid negotiations for sharing parliamentary seats among the allies, the coalition’s Steering Committee on Tuesday (Nov 13) formed a six-strong panel for working on the manifesto.
The members are journalist Mahfuz Ullah, Gano Forum’s AOM Shafiq Ullah, Nagorik Oikya’s Jahed Ur Rahman, JSD’s Shahid Uddin Mahmud Swapan, KSJL’s Iqbal Siddique and Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, one of the sponsors of the coalition who leads a pro-BNP professionals’ group.
The manifesto will focus on constitutional reforms, curbing prime minister’s sole executive power, job creation, ensuring that the outcome of development reaches all, ensuring justice for oppressed minorities, continuing infrastructure projects initiated by the present government, neutral foreign policy, development schemes for agriculture and farming, reforms to quotas, road safety, healthcare coverage for teachers of schools and colleges, say people familiar with the matter.
“We are working on a draft. The proposals made by all the allies will be compiled before forwarding it to the leaders. We are working on a number of issues and it will take a bit time to finalise it,” Zafrullah told Bangla Tribune.
The panel is yet to formally meet, said its member Mahfuz Ullah.
“We, however, had some discussion. The initial process is based on the 11 goals. It may take a day or two,” he told Bangla Tribune.
The manifesto will be published in two formats — a brief one or two page which will be used for campaign materials and detailed one.
In May 2017, former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia unveiled her party’s Vision 2030 in front of the media at a Dhaka hotel.
“The BNP is of the opinion that the people of Bangladesh have been dispossessed of the ownership of the state that they had created through the great liberation war.
The BNP wants to hand over the lost ownership back to people,” it read.
Since its inception, Oikya Front have stressed on the people getting back the country’s ownership. Addressing the public rallies, Dr Kamal has raised this issue.
In its Vision 2030, the BNP chalked out a plan for curbing executive authority, reforming judiciary and adding diversity to political opinion which it then described as the roadmap for a ‘Rainbow Nation.’
According to Oikya Front insiders, it will have several issues addressed in Vision 2030, including good governance, declaring freedom fighters as honoured citizens, neutral foreign policy and uprooting terrorism.
In a nutshell, the manifesto’s philosophy will be based on Bangladeshi nationalism in line with the spirit of the Liberation War.
A member of BNP’s policymaking National Standing Committee said that the manifesto will be prepared upon a consensus of allies.
“It’s only natural that the Vision 2030 will reflect in the manifesto. Today’s Jatiya Oikya Front reflects Khaleda Zia’s call for a national unity two years ago,” the senior party leader told Bangla Tribune but asked not to be named.
Kader Siddique’s KSJL has already forwarded its 10-point proposals for the manifesto, which largely addresses the education sector, mother and child care, healthcare facilities as swell state-sponsored health coverage plans for teachers at schools and colleges.
“Our proposals are available with the manifesto committee. We want a Bangladesh where everyone will have a livelihood and to raise the age limit to enter public service to 35 years. These are our initial proposal. It’s up to the committee to decide on the electoral pledges,” Iqbal Siddique, who represents KSJL at the manifesto panel, told Bangla Tribune on Saturday.
Another key focus of the electoral pledges will be the youth, said Nagorik Oikya’s Jahed Ur Rahman.
“A large portion of our manifesto will outline several plans targeting the youth, which includes job creation, curb corruption and ensuring good governance,” he told Bangla Tribune.
The development projects initiated by the incumbent administration only benefitted a handful number of people.
“The poor got poorer and the rich were made richer by giving them the people’s money. Our pledges will outline plans to ensuring that development benefits all,” said the Nagorik Oikya leader.
According to people familiar with the matter, the Oikya Front will pledge to continue the development projects initiated by the Awami League, but will unveil the corruptions related to it.