The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will announce its election manifesto today (Friday), ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election. Party Chairman Tarique Rahman will formally unveil the manifesto.
BNP media cell member Shairul Kabir Khan confirmed it on Thursday. He said the manifesto would be announced at a programme at a city hotel at 3:30 pm.
The manifesto has been prepared based on BNP's 31-point plan to reform the state structure and a 27-point agenda, aligned with the July National Charter.
It gives priority to people-oriented issues such as family cards, farmer cards, education, healthcare, employment, environment, and monthly allowances for khatibs, imams, and muezzins.
The manifesto focuses on the aspirations of women and youth and integrates the July Charter.
The manifesto will include BNP's 31-point plan on ensuring independence of the Election Commission, protecting human rights, safeguarding freedom of speech, ensuring transparent administration, and reviving the national economy.
It will also outline action plans to ensure full independence and neutrality of the Human Rights Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, and other state institutions, in line with the July Charter.
BNP Central Election Steering Committee spokesperson and chairman's adviser Dr Mahdi Amin said the party largely completed the manifesto.
He said BNP organised many programmes nationwide involving people from different professions to promote its 31-point and 27-point programmes.
Recently, BNP also announced a "nation-building plan," and many of its policy proposals--on education, healthcare, employment, family cards, and the environment--have been taken directly from the manifesto.
The document will also stress good governance, accountability, state reforms, restoration of democracy, judicial independence, decentralisation of administration, protection of human rights, and strengthening anti-corruption measures.
BNP Central Election Steering Committee Chairman and Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the manifesto, to be presented under Tarique Rahman's leadership, would address workers' demands beyond expectations.
He said the party would link wages with the rising cost of living, including expenses for transport and healthcare.
On family cards, the manifesto will propose monthly financial assistance of Tk 2,000-2,500 or food support, including rice, lentils, oil, and salt.
For farmers, a secure and reliable farmer card will be introduced to ensure fair prices for fertiliser, seeds, pesticides, access to subsidies and incentives, low-cost farm machinery and irrigation, easy agricultural loans, crop insurance, fair prices for produce, training, weather and market information via mobile phones, and crop treatment advice.
Fisherfolk and livestock farmers will also receive farmer card benefits.
Under its healthcare plan, BNP aims to bring all hospitals and health centres under accountability to prevent corruption.
It plans to recruit around 100,000 new health workers nationwide -- 80 per cent of them women -- and gradually ensure primary healthcare services for all citizens in metropolitan and district towns.
In education sector, the manifesto will focus on joyful learning, skilled manpower, and a modern Bangladesh. It proposes modern training for primary and secondary school teachers, providing tablet computers, setting up multimedia classrooms, and making education more engaging from class six through teamwork, personal skills, and moral education.
Third-language education -- such as Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Mandarin -- will be introduced at the secondary level to expand job and higher education opportunities.
Technical education will be made compulsory alongside general education. Sports and cultural activities will be included in curricula to develop well-rounded students.
The manifesto also prioritises health and nutrition in schools, including clean environment, hygienic toilets, and phased introduction of mid-day meals in remote areas. Sports will be promoted as a profession, with mandatory sports from class four, scholarships for talented young athletes, sports villages in all 64 districts, and sports officers and teachers appointed nationwide. BKSP branches will be set up in all divisional cities.
On environment and water management, BNP plans to excavate and re-excavate at least 20,000 kilometres of canals and rivers, develop projects like the Teesta Barrage and a Padma Barrage, plant and maintain 250 million trees over five years, and establish integrated waste management systems across the country.
For religious leaders, the manifesto proposes monthly allowances and festival bonuses for khatibs, imams, and muezzins, along with skills training for alternative employment. Similar allowances and festival benefits will be provided to leaders of other religious institutions, including Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian communities. The manifesto launch programme will be chaired by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and coordinated by Nazrul Islam Khan.
Distinguished citizens, foreign diplomats, ambassadors, high commissioners, and journalists, representatives of international organisations are expected to attend the event.
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