Mega projects a ‘trump card’ for AL

Successful implementation of the mega projects and overall economic development across the country will be an effective weapon for the ruling Awami League in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

As the party wants to reassume power for the fourth consecutive term, the Awami League, the country’s oldest political party, would reap the fruits of its development initiatives in the last 13 years.

To take the advantage of these mega development schemes, the party would launch a campaign soon as these projects have created potentials and prosperities for the economy.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said they would come to power again after winning the next national election as the people have hugely benefitted from the development activities of the AL government.

“The country’s people know very well that Awami League under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is far ahead of any other party in tackling any crisis,” he said, adding that people kept trust in Sheikh Hasina's government in the past and is still doing so.

According to experts, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the country is moving ahead with various mega projects, including Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Bangabandhu Satellite, Metrorail, Karnaphuli Tunnel, Dohazari-Ramu rail link, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Rampal Power Plant and Payra Port project.

In addition, the country is improving fast in economic sectors supported by export-oriented industrialization, the setting up of special economic zones, and an increase in export income in the last three terms of the Awami League government.

The inauguration of the Padma Bridge on June 25 has already transformed the country’s communications sector.

The bridge also started changing the economic landscape of southwest districts of the country, as well as boosting trade, industry, tourism and many other sectors in various ways.

According to the road transport and bridges ministry, three more mega projects–Metro Rail, the first part of Dhaka Elevated Expressway and Karnaphuli Tunnel – are going on in full swing and these projects will be inaugurated by the end of this year.

Metro Rail and Dhaka Elevated Expressway will reduce traffic congestion in the capital Dhaka and its surrounding areas while the Karnaphuli Tunnel will link the main port city Chattogram and the western side of the Karnaphuli along with the heavy industry-prone eastern side of the river.

Scrapping all doubts, the government is going to launch another satellite into space after Bangabandhu Satellite-1. Apart from providing telecommunication services to 31 distant areas and 112 remote islands, the satellite is being used in restoring telecommunication service in flood-affected areas in Sylhet division.

Mentioning that the ruling Awami League is working relentlessly to implement its election pledges amid all odds and conspiracies, AL presidium member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya told the Daily Sun that people are happy with the development work being carried out by the AL-led government for the last 13 years.

“People of the country want development. If their expectations are fulfilled, people will give their mandate to our party,” he said.

Therefore, with the implementation of these mega projects, four of the major election pledges of the Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are going to be materialized this year.

While announcing her party’s election manifesto ahead of the 11th parliamentary in 2018, Sheikh Hasina had pledged to implement 10 mega projects.

“Under Sheikh Hasina’s visionary leadership, the Awami League government removed hunger and poverty from the country. Every corner of the country has access to electricity now,” an AL leader said.

Two districts –Panchagarh and Magura—and 52 upazilas have already been freed from the curse of homeless and landlessness for the firmness of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s commitment.

AL insiders say that Bangladesh is now crossing the dream path of enrolling in the list of developed nations.

In the last 13 years, the economic condition of the people of Bangladesh has improved tremendously. During the BNP-Jamaat government, the per capita income was only $543, which has been raised by the Awami League government to $2,824.

Even in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic, it has been possible to maintain the economy of the country smoothly.

The poverty rate was 38.4 per cent during the BNP-Jamaat government. At present, it has come down to below 20 per cent and the number of poor has come down from 24.2 per cent to 10 per cent.

Former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University AAMS Arefin Siddique told the Daily Sun that the implementation of mega projects can certainly influence the electoral decision of the people.

“People have been getting huge benefits from the Padma Bridge. So they would express their gratitude to those who implemented this mega project,” he said.