Be sincere to implement election manifesto

Politicians, representatives of civil society, professionals and journalists have urged the political parties to be sincere for implementing their election manifesto.  

The speakers said this at a roundtable discussion titled "Public Expectations on Election Manifesto" in capital's Westin hotel recently. The Daily Samakal and Democracy International (DI) jointly organised the event.

The discussion was organized under the preview of 'Strengthening Political Landscape Project' implemented by Democracy International which was financed by USAID and UKAID.  

Former Adviser to the Caretaker Government Rasheda K Chowdhury, Chief of Party at Democracy International Katie Croake, BNP Vice-Chairman Shawkat Mahmud, Awami League woman MP Nurjahan Begum Mukta, Awami League Research and Information secretary Afzal Hossain, Awami League Manifesto Formulation Committee Member Dr Salim Mahmud, Head of News of ATN News Provash Amin, Awami League Executive Committee Member Professor Marina Jahan, Seuli Afasar, Tasmina Mahbub, BNP's Foreign Affairs Committee Member Mahmuda Habiba, BNP leader Farhana Yasmin Atika, Chatra Dal's Sultana Yasmin Jui, DI's Lipika Biswas, ActionAid's Nazmul Ahsan and IID-Bangladesh's Sayeed Ahmed participated the discussion conducted by Samakal's acting Editor Mustafiz Shafi.    

Rasheda K Chowdhury said, "We hardly had seen the implementation of election manifesto in the past rather the political parties gone far away from their promises.   

BNP promises for revenge and vengeance free political atmosphere in their manifesto but there is no guarantee that the situation after the BNP's win in 2001 won't be repeated, she said.

Awami League pledged to uproot the corruption in their manifesto but the finance minister some days ago at the parliament said about the enormous theft and corruption of the banking sector, she added. 

"Electioneering has started for Bangladesh's 11th parliamentary election. The main political parties have already unveiled their manifesto and it is seen that a participatory election is going to be held," said Katie Croake. 

Awami League demanded economic success in their election manifesto but the ordinary people could not get the benefit of that success, Shawkat Mahmud said adding that the small entrepreneurs have been dissolved in the name of mega project. 

Nurjahan Begum Mukta said that there is nothing about the trial of the war criminals in BNP's manifesto rather the party awarded 'sheaf of paddy' to 25 Jamaat, the party accused of war crimes, leader to contest the polls. 

Awami League always focuses on the public expectations in its election manifesto and this time's manifesto is also public welfare oriented and implementable, said Afzal Hossain. 

"In UK and USA, the political parties unveil their election manifesto six months before the election. Even the parties make it clear that what they will do if they could not form the government," said Samakal acting Editor Mustafiz Shafi. 

In future, the political parties in Bangladesh should also unveil their election manifesto earlier and should not make such a hurry, he added.