Dhaka – The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has placed the elimination of corruption, the establishment of the rule of law, and ensuring accountability at the core of its manifesto for the upcoming parliamentary election.
Tarique Rahman, the party’s chairman, unveiled the document at a ceremony in Dhaka on Friday, just five days before the 12th February polls. He outlined the BNP’s commitments to democratic reforms, economic transformation, and social cohesion under the guidance of his “Bangladesh First” slogan.
“The plans we have discussed will not materialize unless we can fight corruption, establish the rule of law, and ensure accountability at all levels,” Rahman told attendees at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.
The 60-year-old leader, who assumed the party chairmanship in December following the passing of his mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, detailed the manifesto for over two hours. He vowed to implement nine major pledges if the BNP is voted into power.
Titled “We will work, we will build the nation,” the manifesto is structured into five sections with 51 priority points outlining a five-year plan. The party described it as “a declaration of a new social and state contract,” emphasizing a politics based on justice and humanity rather than revenge.
Key pledges from the nine-point agenda include:
- Social Security: Introducing a “Family Card” to provide marginal and low-income families with Tk 2,500 per month or equivalent essentials, with gradual increases.
- Agricultural Support: Ensuring fair crop prices through a “Farmer Card” system, offering subsidies, easy loans, and insurance, with benefits extended to fishermen and livestock farmers.
- Healthcare Reform: Recruiting 100,000 healthcare workers nationwide, ensuring quality treatment at district levels, and expanding maternal, child, and preventive care programs.
- Education & Youth: Formulating a skills-based education policy, introducing a mid-day meal program, and launching initiatives for youth employment, startup support, and merit-based government recruitment.
- Climate & Environment: Excavating 20,000 km of waterways, planting 25 crore trees in five years, and establishing a modern waste management system.
- Digital Economy: Launching international payment systems like PayPal, creating regional e-commerce hubs, and boosting “Made in Bangladesh” exports.
The BNP said its vision is guided by the philosophy of “Bangladesh First,” aiming to build a humane, inclusive, and accountable state where “production prevails over plunder, rights over fear, and justice over discrimination.”
The manifesto rests on three fundamental pillars: the state philosophy of founder President Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia’s Vision 2030, and Tarique Rahman’s 31-point reform agenda. The party stressed that its politics is rooted in “specific and actionable plans,” not mere slogans.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by politicians, civil society members, senior journalists, and foreign diplomats. It was chaired by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and conducted by Nazrul Islam Khan of the party’s Election Steering Committee.
