AL to declare election manifesto on 27 Dec

The Awami League will announce its election manifesto on 27 December for the upcoming 12th parliamentary polls, scheduled to be held on 7 January.

The election manifesto will be unveiled in the presence of Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader said at a press briefing at the party president's Dhanmondi political office in Dhaka on Monday.

The ruling Awami League has finalised its manifesto with the main focus on building Smart Bangladesh as well as measures for ensuring good governance, controlling commodity prices, regulating the financial sector, increasing employment and agricultural production, and widening the use of technology, party sources said.

The draft manifesto was first submitted to party President Sheikh Hasina. The final version was prepared under her guidance after some inclusions and exclusions.

At the press briefing, pointing to BNP leader Abdul Moyeen Khan, Quader said, “Take a look at the entire country on 7 January…and you will understand how much the people are looking forward to exercising the franchise.”

The Awami League leader made the statement as Moyeen on Saturday said the election results have already been finalised and are set to be officially announced on 7 January.

Quader said the people do not believe in the BNP’s movement and they would also call for waging movement in the next five years.

When asked about Agriculture Minister and Awami League Presidium member Muhammad Abdur Razzaque’s statement made on the arrest of BNP leaders and proposal for their release, Quader claimed that “it was his personal opinion.”

In a television interview, Razzaque recently said the BNP did not accept the proposal to join the polls in exchange for all its arrested leaders getting released.

“Neither the government nor the party made such a proposal,” Quader added.