Chronology of Awami League poll manifesto

Another national election is knocking at the door. The political parties in the country still hold divergent views on the upcoming 12th national election. Ultimately, there is significant uncertainty regarding the feasibility of conducting the election with the participation of all parties. Nevertheless, there is a public anticipation that the political parties will come to a consensus in the interest of democracy and sustainable progress.

Prior to the elections, political parties release their manifestos to the public. These manifestos contain explicit commitments to fulfill the public's expectations once they are elected into power. Occasionally, political parties go beyond their stated promises after assuming office. However, there are instances where the promises made in the manifesto turn out to be mere empty rhetoric, with no tangible results achieved.

Over the course of time, political parties have adapted their manifestos to reflect the changing landscape of domestic and global politics as well as the economy. These manifestos now encompass a wide range of issues that the parties, particularly the major ones, present as a roadmap for the nation's future.

From the language movement in 1952 to the mass uprising in 1966, the people of Bangladesh have consistently voiced their opposition against exploitation and deprivation. In the 1970 election, the Awami League's manifesto prominently featured fundamental rights such as food security, healthcare, and access to medical treatment.

Prior to the 1970 elections, the Awami League made a significant declaration in their manifesto, emphasizing the allocation of at least 4 percent of the national product towards education. Taking charge of a divided Pakistan, the party focused on eradicating illiteracy, as outlined in their manifesto which proposed a crash program for compulsory unpaid primary education for five-year-old children.

The manifesto also showcased a strong commitment to empowering farmers and achieving food self-sufficiency through agricultural reforms. Specifically, it highlighted the need for a revolution in agriculture. The manifesto called for the abolition of the zamindari, jagirdari, and sardari systems, along with a comprehensive restructuring of the land system to benefit genuine farmers. At the same time, abolition of rent up to 25 bigha of land and waiver of arrears of rent, forest resources, fruit cultivation, cattle breeding, poultry farming, dairy farms and fish farming on a priority basis.

During that time, East Bengal faced a dire medical environment, with a lack of basic healthcare facilities. Approximately 90 percent of the population in East Bengal had no access to even the most basic medical services. To address this issue, the manifesto pledged to establish a rural medical center in each union and a hospital in each police station. Furthermore, the introduction of the National Service for Medical Graduates aimed to train a significant number of paramedical personnel to serve in rural areas.

Following the overwhelming victory of the Awami League in the 1970 elections, the formation of the parliament was hindered by the Pakistanis, which further exacerbated the struggle for Bengali rights.

In the 1970s elections, there was a strong emphasis on the economic development of East Bengal, which had been lagging behind, particularly in terms of infrastructure. During this time, Bangabandhu, in his campaign for the 1970 election, highlighted the importance of establishing a bridge over the river Yamuna to facilitate direct communication with North Bengal. Additionally, priority was given to the construction of bridges over Buriganga, Karnaphuli, and Shitalaksha, as well as the development of inland seaports, seaports, and the improvement of the road and rail systems.

Unfortunately, Bangladesh faced a curse with the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1775, which resulted in the Awami League being kept out of power for a significant period of time. Following the military rule of Ziaur Rahman and HM Ershad, the BNP formed a government in 1990, sharing power with Jamaat.

In 1996, the Bangladesh Awami League announced its manifesto, placing a strong emphasis on the development of education and human resources, much like Bangabandhu's vision for expanding education in the 1970s election. The manifesto declared that the wide expansion and enhancement of the quality of education would be a key goal of the country's development program. The announcement of a national movement involving people from all walks of life was made with the aim of eradicating impotence from the country within a decade. However, this objective could not be achieved after the formation of the government. Following their assumption of power in 2009, all primary schools in the nation were brought under national ownership. In their election manifesto of 1996, the Awami League placed great importance on farmers and agriculture. The manifesto stated that the government would take effective measures to attain self-sufficiency in food production. To accomplish this, the government pledged to provide comprehensive support to farmers by offering fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, medicines, irrigation equipment, and other agricultural materials at affordable and fair prices. Additionally, appropriate subsidies would be granted to the agricultural sector if necessary. Since then, agriculture has been incentivized through subsidized prices. The manifesto also emphasized the implementation of necessary measures, such as the introduction of modern farming techniques, to increase the production of cash crops and achieve self-sufficiency in food. Furthermore, the formulation of effective policies and realistic programs to maintain profitable and stable prices for agricultural products, as well as the adoption of modern marketing methods for these products, were highlighted as significant commitments.

The manifesto also addressed the need for land reform and the modernization of land management, the distribution of private land among landless individuals, and the implementation of effective measures to modernize fisheries, poultry, and cattle rearing. In their 2008 manifesto, the Awami League surprised everyone by presenting a vision to the public, aiming to transform the country into a developed and prosperous nation. The focus of the elections was on building a society that prioritizes education and knowledge. The party promised to allocate maximum resources to the education, science, and information technology sectors to ensure human development. They pledged to achieve 100% enrollment at the primary level by 2010 and eradicate illiteracy by 2014 through continued stipends.

The manifesto also emphasized agricultural and rural development, aiming to achieve self-sufficiency in food production by 2013. This would be accomplished by increasing subsidies on agricultural inputs, ensuring availability of agricultural resources, improving access to agricultural credit, expanding irrigation facilities, and implementing measures to preserve crops. The party also pledged to ensure fair prices for crops and agricultural products. Furthermore, the Awami League envisioned the creation of a modern infrastructure and advanced communication system in Bangladesh. This commitment was outlined in their 2008 manifesto. They promised to adopt appropriate policies and implement projects in transportation, road construction, port development, and connectivity between villages, unions, upazilas, and district headquarters through an extensive road network.

Simultaneously, measures were taken to ensure the construction of Padma and Karnaphuli bridges, tunnels, the Dhaka-Chittagong 4-lane expressway, and the expansion and modernization of railways. Additionally, efforts were made to establish rail and road connections with neighboring states through the Asian rail and road network. Furthermore, all rivers, regardless of their size, were dredged and arrangements were made to ensure year-round navigability. The focus was also on the development of waterways and the modernization of maritime transport to facilitate safe and cost-effective transportation of goods and passengers. A commitment was made to construct deep seaports and modernize the Chittagong and Mongla ports, thereby opening them up to Asia. Moreover, there was an emphasis on the modernization of land ports, the transformation of Bangladesh Biman into a commercially viable company, and the promotion of private air transport.

The telecommunication sector was promised to be transformed, and a new airport of international standards was planned to be built to enhance communication systems as a junction between East and West. The Awami League pledged to provide internet connection to all upazilas of the country within five years.

The development of railways was prioritized to ensure affordable transportation and communication with the capital. New railway lines were also proposed for this purpose. To address public transport issues and alleviate congestion in the capital city of Dhaka, plans were made to construct underground railway lines, skyways, rail or circular railways, and to create navigable and wide waterways surrounding the capital.

Subsequently, two more elections were held in 2014 and 2018, during which the commitment to maintain the continuity of development activities was reiterated.

In the 2014 manifesto, education and human development were highlighted as the driving forces behind national development. The formulation of a contemporary education policy acceptable to all was prioritized, building upon the policies implemented in the 2009-13 phase. Special attention was given to ensuring the success and continuity of primary education, with plans to raise the level from fifth to eighth grade. The eradication of unpaid and forced labor was also emphasized.

The Awami League surprised everyone by distributing free books even at the secondary level. This initiative has been ongoing since 2010, when the government was formed. The 2014 manifesto focused on Agriculture, Food, Land, and Rural Development. It emphasized the importance of meeting the nutritional needs of the people and achieving self-sufficiency in food production. To ensure food security for the growing population, the government aims to build reliable emergency reserves and make the country an exporter. They also plan to provide agricultural loans without collateral to farmers through agricultural banks, as well as subsidies for agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, and irrigation. Additionally, they will offer necessary agricultural loans at subsidized interest rates and ensure fair prices for agricultural products at the producer farmer level.

In the power and energy sector, the government's manifesto for the 2018 election brought new hope. Recognizing the energy crisis, they promised to ensure electricity for all by 2020. They also announced plans to supply 28,000 megawatts of electricity and 5,000 million cubic feet of LNG by 2023.

Bangladesh's remarkable success in increasing agricultural production and achieving food self-sufficiency in 2018 has gained global attention, highlighting the country's commitment to food security.

The 2014 manifesto also pledged to continue improving infrastructure across the country, including roads, railways, air, and water transport.