The ruling Awami League is going to announce its manifesto centring on the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election scheduled for January 7, 2024, on December 27.
The manifesto is to focus on strategies that leverage the country's resources to address current global challenges and guide the nation's progress, said sources in the AL.
Besides, several AL leaders associated with the manifesto said, it is also being prepared with several generations in mind and would contain details of various types of plans for the short, medium and long terms.
Among these are the Second Perspective Plan (2021-2041), Delta Plan 2100, Ninth Five Year Plan (2026-2030), Tenth Five Year Plan (2031-2035), and Eleventh Five Year Plan (2036-2040).
Reportedly, AL will pledge to end extreme poverty in the country by 2031 and build a "Smart Bangladesh" by 2041.
The vision for a "Smart Bangladesh" will rest on four key foundations: Smart Citizen, Smart Economy, Smart Government, and Smart Society, according to several party sources.
In line with this, the manifesto will outline strategies to expand digital manufacturing and exports, boost the domestic digital market, and advance people's digital skills.
It will also contain plans for increased investment in cutting-edge fields such as robotics, AI, and nanotechnology.
On the economic front, the manifesto will include the declaration of transforming Bangladesh into an upper-middle-income country with detailed plans on how to raise the country's per capita income to $5,906 by 2031.
Besides, there will be details of strategies to make Bangladesh a developed country with per capita income above $12,500 by 2041 along with the promise to reduce poverty to below 3% by that year.
The party sources said thematic proposals have been solicited from party leaders, university professors, and intellectuals on formulating the manifesto.
Back in September, the Awami League constituted an election manifesto committee, with party presidium member Dr Abdur Razzak as convener and information and research secretary Dr Salim Mahmud as member secretary.
Among the members of the manifesto committee are Dr Mosiur Rahman, Dr Anupam Sen, Dr Sattar Mandal, Dr Bajlul Haque Khandkar, Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Dr Shamsul Alam, Dr Dipu Moni, Dr Hasan Mahmud, Advocate Sham Rezaul Karim, Shekhar Dutt, Dr Maqsud Kamal, Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, Prof Khairul Hossain, Prof. Sadeka Halim, Sazzadul Hasan, Advocate Tarana Halim, Wasika Ayesha Khan, Barrister Biplab Barua, Junaid Ahmed Palak, Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, Prof Mohammad A Arafat, Advocate Sayem Khan, Sadiqur Rahman Chowdhury and Sabbir Ahmed FCA.
Following the first meeting of the committee held on 28 September, the party sought the opinions of the people and community leaders regarding the manifesto in a public notice signed by Awami League's Manifesto Drafting Sub-Committee Member Secretary Dr Salim Mahmud on Tuesday (4 October).
The public notice requested everyone to send their opinions to the Awami League President's Office in Dhanmondi via post or email by 20 October.
Salim Mahmud, member secretary of the manifesto preparation sub-committee, said the 2018 election manifesto will serve as a foundation for the upcoming one.
"It will incorporate strategies that leverage the country's resources to address current global challenges and guide the nation's progress", he said.
The Awami League's previous manifesto, titled "Bangladesh on the march of prosperity", outlined plans for a developed and prosperous Bangladesh by 2041 and a secure delta by 2100.
However, the implementation of the 2018 manifesto has been somewhat hampered by these two global crises [pandemic and Ukraine war], party sources said.
Therefore, the future manifesto plans are expected to address the issue of dealing with such a crisis.
Meanwhile, AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday said that the ruling party is set to unveil its election manifesto on 27 December.
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Bangladesh Awami League, will officially announce the party's election manifesto on that day," he said in a press briefing held at the AL president's political office in Dhanmondi.
At the briefing, Obaidul Quader called for adherence to the electoral code of conduct, urging all AL candidates to uphold peaceful conduct throughout the election period.
He also noted that the AL will kick off its electoral campaign with the inaugural rally scheduled for 20 December in Sylhet.
