The New Nation - Internet Edition

23-pt AL manifesto: Hasina pledges to curb price rise, corruption

Sheikh Hasina

Staff Reporter

Awami League yesterday formally announced the party's election manifesto pledging to address five key issues including corruption and high prices of essentials with topmost priority.

The three other burning issues AL promised to deal with are elimination of poverty, enhancing power generation and establishment of good governance in the country.

The manifesto has been dedicated to the younger generation, who are enrolled as voters this year for the first time, with the aim of building a bright future for them.

AL president Sheikh Hasina announced the manifesto in a hotel in the capital amid a festive mode. Hundreds of party leaders, intellectuals and eminent personalities of civil society present on the occasion welcomed the manifesto by clapping hands. Tight security measure was taken inside and outside the venue.

The AL election manifesto has been prepared as a Charter of Change to secure a prosperous and hunger and poverty free Bangladesh. Beside the background of the election, the manifesto has two other parts. One, Vision 2021, which spells out the dream of Bangladesh by 2021; two, Programmatic Commitment for the next five years if voted to power.

The party promised in its manifesto that prices of rice, pulses, edible oil and other essentials will be kept under the buying capacity of the mass and the syndicate that keeps the price high will be smashed out.

The foreign policy of the country will be based on with all, malice towards none consistent with mutual respect and national interests, the manifesto said.

It also pointed out that solidarity with the Islamic Ummah will be enhanced and cooperation with the members of OIC shall be strengthened.

Following are the main features of the manifesto :

A taskforce along with center for collection and analysis data will be set up to cope with the global economic downturn.

Self-reliance in food production will be achieved by 2012, that is within five years.

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) will be further strengthened and will be allowed to work independently.

The programmes taken earlier by AL will be reactivated, new projects will be undertaken and food security will be ensured to eradicate poverty. The poverty ratio will be reduced from 45 percent to 25 percent by 2013 and the absolute number of poor will be reduced from 65 millions to 45 millions.

A comprehensive employment policy will be adopted. Unemployment will be reduced from 40 percent to 15 percent by 2021 employment will be raised from 42 millions to 9 millions

The target of generating 20 thousands megawatts of electricity will be reached by 2021 for supplying electricity to all and crash programme will be adopted for generation of additional 7000 megawatts by 2013 and 8000 megawatts by 2015.

A number of domestic and regional programme will be adopted for energy security.

The war criminals will be brought under trial and communal terrorism will be suppressed with iron hand. The verdict of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman case will be implemented and there will be re-trial of the jail killing of four national leaders. Grenade attack in August 21 as well as other deaths caused by grenade attack will be re-tried.

Independence of the judiciary will be ensured in real sense and good governance will be secured through establishment of human rights, the rules of law and fundamental rights on a strong footing.

Administration will be freed from political and patrician influence. Recruitment, appointment and promotion will be awarded on the basis of merit, competence, efficiency, seniority and performance.

A permanent Pay Commission will be set up for government officials and employees.

Rangppur will be made an Administrative Division.

Parliament will be made effective by subjecting of national importance to decision of parliament, which shall also have the major role in ensuring transparency and accountability of the government.

An effective investment friendly environment as well a one stop service facility will be set up to promote industrial growth. Policies will be put in place for industrial growth, including shipbuilding and others new areas of industrial potentials.

Opportunities will be created for investment by the local and foreign entrepreneurs as well Non-resident Bangladeshi investors.

Necessary steps will be taken for development of IT industry and spread of computer of literacy. 'Digital Bangladesh will be built by 2021.

Steps will be taken for protection, strengthening and expansion of readymade garments and textile industry as well as for revival of jute and tea industry.

Steps will be taken for development of handicrafts and handloom industry as well as for rehabilitation for the weavers and their access to loan.

Economic growth will be accelerated to 8 percent per annum if five years to 2013 and by 2017 to 10 percent, whereafter the rate will be sustained.

A permanent wage commission will be set up for the workers, minimum wage fixed and trade union rights safeguarded.

Special rationing system will be introduced for the workers, the ultra poor and landless farm labours.

Steps will be taken for subsidy to the farmers for fertilizer, seeds and pesticides and other agricultural inputs and fair price for agricultural produce.

The highest allocation will be made for education, science and information technology.

Enrolment at primary level will be raised to 100 percent by 2010 and education up to graduation level shall be made free in phases by 2013 and illiteracy will be eradicated from the country by 2014.

New education policy shall be prepared, standard of education will be raised and remuneration and other benefits will be enhanced.

Healthcare for all will be ensured and 18,000 community clinics will be commissioned by 2013 and supply of arsenic free potable water for all will be ensured by 2011

Steps will be taken to ensure sanitation for all consistent with health standard by 2013 and shelter will be arranged for all by 2015.

85 percent of the population shall get adequate nutrition by 2021 and the rate of children morality will be reduced from 54 percent to 15 percent by 2021 while life expectancy is projected to rise to 70 by 2021.

Policy will be put in place for empowerment, equal rights and opportunities for women. The policy for women 1997 which has been adopted by AL government will be revived. 33 percent of parliamentary seats for direct election will be reserved for women.

Child labour will be prohibited and implementation of the UN convention on Child Rights will provide happy childhood.

All steps will be taken for improving the standard of life for the disabled.

'Employment Guarantee Scheme' will be introduced by 2011 to provide employment to one able-bodied young person per family and a scheme will be adopted to employ the higher secondary graduates in National Service.

The programme for road networks connecting village-union-upazila and districts will be completed within five years to 2013.

Steps to address the traffic problems and congestion of Dhaka city will include improvement of the existing road networks, elevated (two-level) road and flyover.

The Padma Bridge will be constructed; there will be also tunnel or suspended bridge for Karnafuli River. The railway will be expanded and modernized.

Construction of deep sea port and modernization of Chittagong and Mongla ports will be undertaken which will be made accessible to Asia. The land ports will be modernized.

Bangladesh shall be connected with the Asian Highway and Asian railway.

Steps will be taken to materialize the commitments of 'Muktijuddha' (liberation war), rehabilitation of the dignity of the freedom fighters, preservation of the memory of 'Muktijuddha', and its true history.

Steps will be initiated to abolish forever the repression of and discrimination against the religious minorities, small ethnic and the tribal communities. All laws which discriminate against them shall be canceled.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord will be implemented in full.

Improvement of the living standard of those who live in char lands, `haor-baor' and the coastal areas will receive priority consideration.

Steps will be taken to cope with global warming, preservation of forest and bio-diversity as well as an environment free from water and air pollution and necessary steps will be taken to cope with storm and cyclone.

Necessary steps will be initiated to improve the standard of sports and to reach international levels.

All steps will be taken for the freedom of mass media and information law.

Armed forces shall be kept above all controversies and built up as an invincible force equipped with modern weapons and logistics. A National Defense Policy shall be formulated.

The Bengali language and culture will be preserved and the intrusion of militant communalism and counter-culture shall be resisted.

NGOs will be expanded to provide services while their accountability will be strictly enforced.

Khaleda addresses Sylhet rallies: Conspiracy on to make country a vassal state

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia addressing an
election rally at Lala Bazar in Sylhet yesterday. Banglar
Chokh

UNB, Sylhet

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia urged the people, particularly the nationalist and Islamic forces, to vote for her party and alliance in December 29 parliament elections to protect nation's sovereignty and ensure development and economic progress.

"This is going to be an important election for the nation. You'll have to give a correct decision in this election as the future of the country depends on it," she made the remarks while addressing election rallies at Lalabazar and Doyameer in Osmaninagar of Sylhet and Auskandi in Nabiganj thana of Habiganj district.

Launching her formal electioneering after offering fateha at the mazars of Hazrat Shahjalal ®, Hazrat Shah Paran ® and Hazrat Gazi Borhanuddin ®, Khaleda urged the people to cast vote for "sheaf of paddy" and elect the 4-party alliance candidates to protect the country, people and economy.

"The country is passing through a very difficult time. Conspiracy is on to make the nation a vassal state. If you remain united all conspiracies will be foiled as in the past," she said.

The former Prime Minister promised that if voted to power, her government will ensure food security, bring down prices of essentials, generate employment, provide free education for girls up to Degree level and expand IT education.

In the two years under the caretaker government no development work was done, rather economy has been thrown into shambles and people into starvation, she said, adding that the country has been pushed back 20 years during the last two years.

Khaleda said if the nationalist and Islamic forces are elected to power, political and economic stability will be established.

Terming the cancellation of January 22, 2007 election as a conspiracy, she alleged that a plot was cooked up to send her abroad by force and turn Bangladesh into a vassal state. "Since I didn't agree to leave the country, I was put in jail, my family was repressed and my party leaders and workers were persecuted," she said.

Khaldea introduced BNP candidates Shafi Chowdhury at Lalabazar, Ilias Ali at Osmaninagar and Sheikh Sujat Mia at Auskandi and sought vote for them.

Earlier BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia offered fateha at the mazars of Hazrat Shahjalal (R), Hazrat Shah Paran (R) and hazrat Gazi Borhanuddin (R) in this holy city Friday before launching her formal electioneering for the December 29 parliament elections.

Khaleda who left Dhaka by road at 8-30am reached Sylhet at 12-15pm. Attired in white chiffon saree, she went to the shrine of Hazrat Shahjala (R) at 2-08pm and stayed there for about 15-minute when she offered prayer and fateha.

Later, she went to the shrine of Hazrat Shah Paran (R), about 8 kms from the city and offered fateha there at 2:38pm. She also offered fateha at the mazar of Hazrat Gazi Borhanuddin (R) at 3:05pm.

Witnesses said thousands of BNP supporters greeted Khaleda as she arrived in Sylhet.

A large number of her supporters were also seen at both the shrines chanting slogans for BNP. In the last parliament elections, she also began her electioneering after offering fateha at the two holy shrines.

On her way from Dhaka to Sylhet, BNP candidates and supporters greeted her at different points holding welcome banners and party's election symbol "sheaf of paddy".

After visiting the shrines Khaleda addressed her first election rally at Lalabazar in Sylhet town.

Politics in Bangladesh still fragile : Crisis Group

Retuers, Brussels

Bangladesh's 29 December election will not return the country to civilian rule unless those with a stake in the vote - including the international community - ensure all registered parties contest credible, peaceful polls.

The latest briefing from the International Crisis Group, says the vote and an end to emergency rule do notequal democracy, but are necessary preconditions to the country's stability.

"Talk of delaying elections has understandable attractions for leaders afraid of underperforming at the polls", says Michael Shaikh, Crisis Group's Asia Senior Analyst. "But there is no viable alternative to timely elections". The political situation is complex and fragile. Regardless of who wins the election, the next government and the opposition parties will face the challenges of making parliament work and contending with an army that wants a greater say in politics.

Tthe Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), are approaching the election from opposite positions. The Awami League, viewed as the frontrunner, is eager to contest the polls promptly and with few preconditions. The BNP is in disarray. The party threatened to boycott if emergency laws barring many of its members from standing in the election were not rescinded.

The parties must not take the international community's support for elections as an endorsement of their behaviour but rather see it as belated recognition of the dangers of military rule.

"For the parties, the challenge will not end on polling day", says Rhoderick Chalmers, Crisis Group's South Asia Deputy Project Director. "Managing a smooth transition to democratic functioning will require resisting the winner-takes-all approach and cooperating to tackle the serious difficulties the country faces".

The views expressed are the author's alone.

1,572 candidates remain till date: Hundreds to be shown the door as parties forfeit support

Staff Reporter

More than one hundred candidates are going to be dropped from the initial list of the 1,572 candidates for the scheduled parliamentary elections, as they have lost support of their respective parties.

These, candidates, though did not withdraw their nomination papers of their own, will be considered so, as their parties have withdrawn support from them," an Election Commission official told the New Nation yesterday.

"They can't run as independent candidates, as they had qualified initially as party nominees, without adding the documents of support of one per cent voters of their constituencies," he added.

As the deadline for withdrawal was over at 10:00pm Thursday, the EC yesterday announced a total of 1,572 remaining candidates as valid for 299 seats in the ninth parliamentary elections scheduled for December 29.

But the EC officials could not term the list as final, for the defiant party candidates, who did not withdraw despite their parties sacrificing them for the shake of the alliances, will be shed from the final candidates' list.

"The EC will publish the final list of candidates and their election symbols tomorrow (Saturday)," EC Joint Secretary Rafiqul Islam said. "Two or more candidates from different parties and alliances stood from the same constituencies. After distributing election symbol to one candidate from one party or one alliance, candidature of others will be scrapped," he said.

The EC official said more than 100 such candidates, mostly from AL and BNP, might lose their candidatures.

According to electoral laws, one symbol will not be given to more than one candidate. So after a selected candidate from a party or an alliance gets a logo, the other candidates, if any, will lose their validity as candidate.

"As the deadline for withdrawal of candidature ended on Thursday, a number of candidates under major political parties and alliances did not withdraw," Islam said.

He added the EC would finalise the candidacy according to the 'list of preference' submitted by the parties or alliances for shared seats.

The EC had asked for a 'list of preference' from parties and alliances for candidates in certain constituencies, with the candidacies will be finalised on the basis of the list.

Earlier, 2,439 candidates filed nomination papers. After scrutiny 442 nomination papers were cancelled while 425 candidates withdrew from the race on Thursday, the last date of withdrawal of candidature.

The lowest number of 977 candidates was in the fourth parliamentary election held under HM Ershad's military regime in 1988. Both Awami League and BNP had boycotted the elections.

Bangladesh's first national election had 1,078 candidates, there were 1,450 in the sixth and 1,527 in the third.

EC officials said the upcoming elections will have fewer candidacies than before because of mandatory registration of political parties with the EC, the bar on dissident candidates and conditions imposed on independent candidates.

Awami League, as the key component of the 'grand alliance', has fielded 242 candidates; and its electoral allies Ershad-led Jatiya Party 49, Worker's Party of Bangladesh three, JSD (Inu) four and Ganotantree Party and Zaker Party one each.

The BNP has candidates in 256 constituencies, while its ally Jamaat has 38 and others have a total of four.

Awami League fielded 300 candidates for the eight parliamentary elections, while BNP fielded 252, Islami Oikya Front 281, Jamaat-e-Islami 31, Islami Oikya Jote seven, Jatiya Party (Naziur) 11 and Jatiya Party (Monju) 140.

Did Obama team have contact with Illinois governor?

AP, Chicago

Barack Obama insists he didn't have any contact with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich or anyone else who might have been scheming to sell the president-elect's U.S. Senate seat. But he has not yet given his transition staff the same clean bill of health - perhaps with good reason.

An examination of the FBI complaint against Blagojevich and the days immediately following Obama's historic election victory suggests the governor was highly interested in Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett as a potential Senate appointee, albeit with a steep price tag. The 76-page complaint contains multiple references to "Senate Candidate 1," whose description clearly fits Jarrett, a former finance chief for Obama's earlier campaigns and incoming senior White House adviser.

In secretly recorded conversations, the Democratic governor said he'd be willing to appoint Jarrett - Obama's supposed favorite to replace him - in return for a high-paying job at a national union organization called Change to Win.

At a news conference Thursday, Obama said his office was assembling any information about possible contacts "between the transition office and the governor's office," and that he intended to release any such detail in the next few days.

"But what I'm absolutely certain about is that our office had no involvement in any dealmaking around my Senate seat," Obama said. "That I'm absolutely certain of."

It remained unclear whether anyone on Obama's team had been in contact with Blagojevich or his associates regarding the Senate seat.

According to the complaint, Blagojevich met Nov. 5 with an official of the Service Employees International Union-Local 1 who is believed to be Tom Balanoff, a longtime Obama supporter who spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

Blagojevich "understood" that the SEIU official was "an emissary to discuss Senate Candidate 1's interest" in the Senate seat. Though just a day after the election, media reports had already identified Jarrett as being interested in the job.

SEIU officials released a statement Thursday saying the organization had been in contact with the U.S. attorney's office and had no reason to believe the union or any union official had been involved in misconduct. The statement said the union, and specifically Balanoff, were "fully cooperating" with the probe.

During a Nov. 5 call, Blagojevich said the Senate appointment was a thing of value, something not given away "for nothing."

Two days later, Blagojevich allegedly suggested he'd be willing to "trade" the Senate seat to Jarrett in exchange for the Health and Human Services secretary's job. He repeated that desire during a separate, three-way call involved Blagojevich, Chief of Staff John Harris and someone identified only as "Advisor B," a Washington-based consultant.

Harris noted that Blagojevich also would consider being appointed to a high-paying position at Change to Win and that Balanoff, who declined numerous requests for an interview with The Associated Press, could guarantee the appointment.

In return, Obama would be expected to help Change to Win with its legislative agenda on a national level, said Harris, according to the criminal complaint.

As the FBI listened in, Harris suggested the three-way deal would give Obama "a buffer so there is no obvious quid pro quo" regarding Jarrett. And "Adviser B" said "they should leverage the President-elect's desire to have Senate Candidate 1 appointed to the Senate seat" in exchange for a big job at Change to Win.

On Nov. 10, Blagojevich, his wife, Harris, the governor's chief counsel William R. Quinlan and several Washington-based advisers conducted an extraordinary two-hour conference call.

Poor nations to get funds to fight climate change

AP, Poznan, Poland

Negotiators at a U.N. climate conference broke through red tape and freed up millions of dollars Friday to help poor countries adapt to increasingly severe droughts, floods and other effects of global warming.

"This could be the one thing to come out of Poznan," said Kit Vaughan of WWF-Britain.

The decision in the final hours of the two-week conference could begin to release some $60 million (euro45 million) within months, according to delegates and environmentalists following the closed-door talks.

"This is an important step," said delegate Mozaharul Alam of Bangladesh.

Alam said ministers and senior delegates from dozens of countries decided to give a blocked fund's governing board the authority to directly disburse money to developing countries for projects to reduce greenhouse gases.

Until now, the U.N.-backed Adaptation Fund board could not operate because its board had no right to approve and sign those contracts.

The fund is derived from a 2 percent levy on offset investments that industrial nations make on green projects in the developing world. The negotiators have been discussing other ways to ramp up the fund into the billions. The agreement was one of the few concrete goals the delegates set for Poznan when the talks began Dec. 1. Delegations from nearly 190 countries are negotiating a new climate change pact, to be completed next December in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, that would succeed the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012.

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who shared last year's Nobel peace prize for raising awareness of climate change, urged the conference to stay focused on the task of reducing global carbon emissions that have already begun to change the conditions of life on Earth.

Winning cheers and ovations, Gore called on heads of state to convene several climate change summits over the next 12 months to spur on the talks ahead of the crucial meeting in Copenhagen.

This challenge "affects the survival of human civilization," Gore said.

"We cannot negotiate with the facts, we cannot negotiate with the truth about our situation, we cannot negotiate with the consequences of unrestrained dumping of 70 million tons of global warming pollution into the thin shell of atmosphere surrounding our planet every 24 hours," he said.

Environmentalists have complained that the Poznan conference was hamstrung by delays and low ambitions.

"There is still time to rescue the minimum acceptable outcome from Poland, but we need to ensure that in 2009 we hit the ground running," said Julie-Anne Richards of Oxfam, a British-based humanitarian agency.

The conference "could have been much more robust," said Gustavo Silva-Chavez, of the Environmental Defense Fund based in New York.

The conference marks the midway point in a two-year negotiating process begun last year in Bali, Indonesia, to reach a new treaty in December 2009.

Ministers and top officials from 145 countries concluded in a round table discussion late Thursday that the negotiations over the next year should produce an ambitious agreement that can be ratified by all countries.

Still, progress has been slowed as negotiators wait for the new and more climate-friendly government of President-elect Barack Obama to take over from the outgoing Bush administration.

U.S. Senator John Kerry, who is in line for chairmanship of the powerful Foreign Relations Committee, told The Associated Press that a new draft treaty should be possible even if the U.S. does not impose mandatory limits on greenhouse gases before the next pivotal climate conference.

"I think Copenhagen should produce a treaty fundamentally geared to reductions of emissions," Kerry said.

Business leaders to invite Khaleda, Hasina

Staff Reporter

Country's business leaders are planning to invite two former prime ministers Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina to a business conference and place some recommendations before them in the interest of economic development.

Talking to reporters President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Anisul Huq yesterday said both the leaders have already agreed in principle to attend the conference, scheduled to be held in between December 20 and 25.

"We'll place a set of recommendations to the two top leaders for their consideration to ensure country's overall economic development," he said.

Asked whether the two leaders will sit together, the FBCCI president said the conference would be of two days and they can come in separate days.

He further said they have already apprised Sheikh Hasina about the proposal and she agreed in principle.

About the FBCCI recommendations, Anisul Huq said they would place 138-point charter, which was placed at a seminar in the city earlier on December 6.

More Rhetorical than realistic Professional groups

Pankaj Karmakar

Members of the civil society and other professionals yesterday welcomed the electoral manifesto of Awami League (AL), but expressed apprehension over the implementation of the pledges.

The reaction came following the announcement of the manifesto by the party president Sheikh Hasina at a five star hotel in the capital in presence of hundreds of people of different professions.

In the manifesto AL pledged to achieve self-reliance in food production, curb corruption, contain price hike, enhance electricity producing capacity, fight terrorism, eradicate poverty and so on.

Dr Akbar Ali Khan, Former Adviser to the Caretaker Government and Chairman of Regulatory Reforms Commission, in his instant reaction said, "The manifesto of AL has definitely been drafted for the welfare of the people, but it seems it will be difficult to implement it properly."

He also opined for the arrangement of public debate over the manifestos of country's major political parties to ensure clearance and accountability.

Annisul Haque, President of Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), said, "The manifesto of AL is a timely one. The country will be self-reliant, if Vision-2021 can be materialised."

On behalf of the business community, he also gave assurance of providing all assistance needed to implement the pledges in the manifesto.

Former Adviser to the Caretaker Government ASM Shajahan said, "The announcement of an excellent electoral manifesto is not all, the prime task is to implement the manifesto in letter and spirit. So AL should have to be more concerned on implementing the manifesto."

Replying to a question over phone on the establishment of 'Digital Bangladesh' by 2021, as promised by the AL, Dr Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor of BRAC University, said, " If any government works sincerely to implement the existing ICT policy, it is possible to establish a 'Digital Bangladesh' before the year 2021."

Prof AAMS Arafin Siddique, former president of Dhaka University Teachers'Association, said, " AL has put appreciable emphasis on education. Dissemination of education is the prerequisite of a developed country. So I think, the manifesto is practical one."Dr Aminul Islam, professor of Philosophy Department of Dhaka University and President of Bangladesh Philosophy Society, termed the AL electoral manifesto public welfare oriented and pro-people.

He demanded complete implementation of the manifesto.

Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ashraful Huda said, "The traditional rules and regulations are the main obstacles on the way of establishing good governance. There should be some provision of bringing reform in these traditional rules."

He thinks that the law enforcement agencies should be above party politics to curb terrorism and militancy.

Beside this people of different walks of life hoped that the manifesto will be able to fulfill the their hopes and aspirations through achieving self-reliant in food production and controlling the price spiral.

Moreover, the inhabitants of the northern part of the country welcomed the manifesto as Sheikh Hasina announced the declaration of Rangpur as a separate administrative division.

BNP to announce poll manifesto today

Staff Reporter

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is going to announce its election manifesto today at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel at 4:00 pm.

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia would formally announce the party manifesto at the ballroom of the hotel.

Sources said containing prices of essential items, creating new jobs, uprooting terrorism, making education free up to degree level, introducing health insurance and protecting the national interest and Islamic values would be the prime features of the party's manifesto.

Besides the top leader of the four-party alliance would also call upon the nationalist and patriotic Islamic minded people to give the four-party alliance an opportunity to go to power for the sake of country's development and welfare of the people, it said.