Economy to grow to $2.0t, per-capita income $10,000

Bangladesh's economy will grow to around US$2.0 trillion in size by 2040 with probable per-capita income around $10,000, Bangladesh Jamaat-e- Islami (BJI) pledges in its election manifesto.

The party unveiled its election manifesto Wednesday with priority on 26 issues for building a safe and humane Bangladesh for all where women's rights and jobs and their safety and security will be protected.

The manifesto puts priorities on honesty, skills and employment and at the same time declares crusade against corruption, fascism, expansionism and extortion and exploitation.

Among the 26 issues are building an uncompromising Bangladesh for protecting the country's independence, sovereignty and national interests, building an Insaf (equitable)-based, discrimination-free Bangladesh, empowering the country's youth giving them priority in managing/ governing the state, building a safe, dignified and inclusive and participatory state for the womenfolk, building a Bangladesh sans extortion and terrorism for improving the law- and-order situation in the country, building a corruption-free country by deploying honest people in every sphere of the state, and building a technology-based smart Bangladesh.

The rest are creating massive jobs opportunity in agriculture and manufacturing sectors, provision for making application for government jobs without cost, bringing reforms in banking and financial sector for building an investment-friendly environment and sustainable economic development, ensuring true and functional democracy, ensuring justice and trial for killings that happened during the last Awami League regime, preserving July Uprising history and rehabilitation of July martyrs and injured persons.

Bringing revolution in agriculture by using modern technology, ensuring safe food for all by 2030, taking steps for massive industrialisation, including setting small, medium and heavy industries, providing favourable workplaces for the workers along with ensuring their reasonable salary and hassle -free job environment, protecting the rights of the expatriates, ensuring the rights of all citizens irrespective of their ethnicity, introducing universal healthcare system, introducing modern education system, ensuring free treatment for elderly and children under five years, containing the prices of essential commodities, modernisation of country's communications system, ensuring housing for lower-and lower-middle-income groups of people at affordable prices , taking steps to suppress permanently the resurgence of fascism, ensuring social safety for all citizens and ensuring good governance through transparency and accountability at all spheres of the country are also pledged.

Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman said Bangladesh stands once again at a historic crossroads. "Together with you (people), we aspire to build a Bangladesh founded on insaf, dignity and shared prosperity, Insha' Allah, the sacrifices of our July heroes -- Abu Sayed, Mugdho, Santo, Wasim and Osman Hadi -- will not have been in vain.

The party chief, Shafiqur Rahman, and Secretary-General Mia Golam Parwar jointly rolled out the manifesto at a city hotel -- around a week ahead of the post-uprising maiden polls, set for February 12.

In his opening remarks Dr Shafiqur Rahman said they want to build a Bangladesh free from corruption and exploitation and people could live with dignity and honour.

"This is not an election manifesto for a particular party rather it is a manifesto for the welfare of the people and the country," he said.

"The country is for us all. If our country remains well, then we will be able to live well. We want to maintain good relationship with all. We want to maintain colourful relationships with all, especially with our neighbours, with mutual respect and dignity," he told the function.

"We prepared this election manifesto with high hoes in the interest of Bangladesh and its people. Your valuable votes will enable us to achieve a developed country," he continued.

They want to remove discrimination and want to ensure justice for all.

"The martyrs of July Uprising 2024 and injured have given us the opportunity to build a just, prosperous and exploitation-free Bangladesh," he said in his closing remarks.

talhabinhabinhabib@yahoo.com