Ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has officially announced its election manifesto, highlighting nine core promises aimed at social security, economic reform, and youth empowerment.
The manifesto was unveiled by Tarique Rahman, Chairman of the BNP, at a ceremony held on Friday afternoon at the Sonargaon Hotel in the capital. Presided over by the party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the event drew significant attention as the party outlined its vision for a “new social and state contract.”
The 9 Core Promises:
- Family Cards for Social Security: To protect marginal and low-income families, ‘Family Cards’ will be introduced, ensuring a monthly provision of 2,500 BDT or equivalent essential commodities. This financial support is planned to increase over time.
- Farmer Cards & Agricultural Support: Fair prices for crops will be ensured through ‘Farmer Cards,’ providing subsidies, easy loans, crop insurance, and state-managed marketing. These benefits will also extend to fishers, livestock farmers, and small agricultural entrepreneurs.
- Healthcare Reform: To build a corruption-free and humane health system, 100,000 healthcare workers will be recruited nationwide. Quality medical care at district and metropolitan levels, including comprehensive maternal and child health services, will be expanded.
- Work-Oriented Education: A skill-based and value-driven education policy will be formulated. The party promises to prioritize primary education, provide technological support to teachers and students, and introduce ‘Mid-Day Meals.’
- Youth & Employment: The manifesto focuses on job creation, technical and language skill development, and support for startups. It also pledges to integrate youth into global e-commerce platforms and ensure merit-based government recruitment.
- Sports as a Profession: To promote sports as a viable career, infrastructure and training facilities will be expanded at the district and upazila levels.
- Environment & Climate Resilience: Through active public participation, 10,000 kilometers of rivers and canals will be excavated or re-excavated. The plan also includes planting 150 million trees over five years and implementing modern waste management.
- Religious and Social Harmony: To strengthen communal harmony, a welfare system involving honors and training for religious leaders of all places of worship will be established.
- Digital Economy & Global Connectivity: The party promises to launch the international payment gateway PayPal, establish regional e-commerce hubs, and expand the export of ‘Made in Bangladesh’ products.
A New State Contract
The BNP leadership emphasized that this manifesto is not merely a list of election pledges but a declaration of a “new social and state contract.” The party stated that its politics centers on people’s rights rather than power, emphasizing “production over looting” and “justice over discrimination.”
“BNP believes in the politics of justice and humanity, not revenge,” the party stated, adding that if entrusted by the people’s vote, they would build a Bangladesh where the dignity of the vote is restored, and no one remains above the law.
