People's needs not reflected in election manifestos: CPD

FE Report
The needs and interests of the common people are not properly reflected in the election manifestos prepared by the political parties before the elections, according to the findings of a series of courtyard meetings across the country.
Participants in the community meetings also called upon the political parties to prepare their election manifestos through public hearing at grassroots level to make them pro-people and effective ones.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) disclosed the findings during an event titled "Commitment to National Development: Education, Quality Employment, Gender" at a city hotel on Saturday.
The daylong conference was organised by the CPD in association with United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). CPD executive director Dr Fahmida Khatun moderated the event where planning minister MA Mannan was present as the chief guest.
The local think-tank made the disclosure after holding some 90 courtyard meetings (community meetings) in 15 districts across the country.
These meetings were conducted in the last two years to understand the level of involvement of the people in the process of formulation and implementation of the election manifestos.
While presenting his keynote paper, CPD research director Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem said people have very little knowledge about the election manifesto, which is not discussed at local level.
He said election manifestos are prepared from the top, not from the bottom. It is evident that people's opinions and needs are not reflected in them.
"So, people's participation needs to be ensured in the manifesto-making process."
About education, he said, the participants opined that the appointment of teachers to schools and colleges of the country, especially in the MPO-listed institutions, is not done based on an individual's merit and skills, which is unfortunate.
"People want more transparency and accountability when it comes to teachers' recruitment. They also want letting the education system from corruption and politics," he added.
The people also asked the ruling party whoever in power to take good things from the manifesto placed by an opposition party for the wellbeing of the people, according to him.
Local government expert Dr Tofail Ahmed raised a question about existing practice of preparing the election manifestos by the political parties.
"The manifestos should be done based on yearlong discussions at various levels so that the actual needs of the people are reflected in the document."
He also said people have opined that they are not as close as they used to be with the public representatives before the elections. "Now, the ties between the voters and their representatives are completely missing because of the existing electoral system."
Talking about ongoing austerity measures taken by the government, he said the common people accepted various instructions of the government to this effect even though it hurts them.

"Are the people running the administration accept those? Could they refrain from using too many air-conditions (ACs) in their offices? Could they avoid using government transport unnecessarily?" he questioned.
"If they do not, then things will not improve. I think, we need a crash program to deal with the ongoing crises," he added.
Speaking as the chief guest, planning minister MA Mannan said the needs of civil society, NGOs and others in Dhaka do not match with the needs of people at grassroots level.
"Local people want social protection, sanitation, access to fresh water, culverts, roads and work for their livings. They do not talk about governance, human rights and disparity."
Talking about austerity measures, he said the whole world is under pressure because of the Covid-19-induced shocks followed by Russia-Ukraine war and disruption in the global supply chain.
"It also started affecting our economy. That's why the government comes up with some austerity measures to protect the economy," he said.
Terming political and policy stability key to socioeconomic development, the minister also said the government maintained stability despite various shortcomings.
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