by Anwar A Khan
A vote revolution with smiling faces
of voters betided on 30 December in the national polls in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Awami League has won a landslide victory in the elections. It is a
significant victory for Bangladesh’s democracy, secularism, massive development
works and true spirits of our glorious Liberation War of 1971. And definitely,
it has ushered in a new era in Bangladesh. Many foreign and local election
observers were allowed to monitor this voting revolution in Bangladesh.
International monitors have largely praised the conduct of the election.
A loud and familiar chant would soon
ring out across the country when the newly elected 11th parliament
will go into session. “Joy Bangla! Joy Bangabandu!" the crowds will roar
in unison, echoing the ruling AL party's election campaign slogan for PM Sheikh
Hasina to get in there for the 4th time in the hope that
Banglasesh's premier will deliver a new era of democracy, prosperity and peace.
She has reached out to the voters and urged the nation to look forward and work
towards helping the country's economy grow.
People
hope the vision of a new and prosperous Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, we all want
is a shared one and transcends political party lines. As the would be PM
afresh, we hope she will pledge to act fairly and impartially, without fear or
favour for people of all classes and of all religions. We believe she could see
all the mistakes that she made in the past and she will learn many things from
the past history and run the state affairs aright. She now has become the
mother figure of our people of this land so we must put our trust in her.
We
are all Bangladesh’s people; what unites us is greater than what could ever
divide us. Reprobated rulers – Gen Zia, Gen Ershad and Begum Zia divided us by
rehabilitating the defeated forces of 1971 in every nook and corner of the
country only to serve well their fiddling gains whereas their unsavoury acts
were not, at all, necessitated.
Through the engagement and
re-engagement policy, the new government is opening a new chapter in our
relations with the world, underpinned by mutual respect, shared principles and
common values. The 11th parliamentary polls have marked a turning
point in Bangladesh's democracy. The would be PM has repeatedly pledged to lead
Bangladesh to a more democratic era. Now, we believe, we are promised a new
dawn; the potential, under PM Sheikh Hasina’s party command, that a warm light
will shine into the dark corners of society, banishing exploitation,
joblessness, corruption and crimes. We hope this will not be a delusive dawn at
a time of gathering darkness. The sign of administrative dysfunction of an
inability to act in a coherent and holistic way, if any, will soon go away.
Celebrated
journalist and columnist Syed Badrul Ahsan on the polls day aptly said, “This
morning, we celebrate our collective democratic spirit, for we have, despite
every odd and every impediment, upheld the cause of democracy and have not allowed
the process of elected government to be disturbed or upended by
extra-constitutional means or thwarted by sinister plots hatched by elements
lurking in the dark. This morning we will vote for more of democracy, for the
rule of law to underpin our society, for parliament to be a full and vibrant
platform for expressions of popular aspirations, for the executive to be the
embodiment of every citizen's hopes and dreams, for the judiciary to inform us
that the machinery of justice stands ready to strengthen and support us when
assaults are made on the liberties we enjoy in our democracy. This morning, we
vote for a new dawn of promise. This morning, we vote for strong, purposeful,
committed, accountable and secular leadership. This morning, we wait for a beautiful
end to a day wrapped in great expectations.”
The
exploited should join together to improve the lot of each and all. And in a
Bangladesh context, the gaps at all levels are much greater and probably make
the need and difficulty for united action greater still. But something radical
is surely required when some elementary facts are taken into account. Because,
far from any sign of a new dawn, the majority of Bangladesh’s people face the
prospect of a chilly, lengthening and stormy economic and social night. These,
and similar facts, should top the agenda, if the government’s promised economic
developments are finally staged. Out of these may come some sound suggestions
that may indicate, if not a new dawn, at least a glimmer of hope. We should
wake up to this Bangladesh as well.
There is a strong argument to be made
for increasing public sector employment and the scope is too big here. This
could be achieved by filling or creating, posts for core front line staff and
for many more positions. The two principal pledges Awami League included in its
manifesto are ’My Village-My Town’ and ‘Power of Youth-progress of Bangladesh.’
According to sources at AL on its election manifesto, Awami League have
released a pro-youth election manifesto giving priority to balanced development
of the country, quality education and employment opportunities for youth.
According to the leaders, AL focused on the new voters in this election as they
could bring about a major change in the election. The 2018 manifesto titled
“Bangladesh on March towards Prosperity” focuses on 33 sectors to be dealt with
two strategic plans -- the SDG and Delta Plan 2100.
In its polls manifestos, AL has
pledged 21-point programmes which include:
1.My village, my town: expansion of
modern urban amenities in rural areas
2.Strength of youths, prosperity of
Bangladesh: transformation of young people into skilled manpower and ensuring
their employment
3. Adopting zero tolerance policy
against corruption
4. Women empowerment, gender equity
and children’s welfare
5. Ensuring nutrition and safe food
6. Elimination of terrorism
–communalism-militancy
7. Quick and quality implementation of
all mega projects
8. Strengthening democracy and rule of
law
9. Poverty alleviation
10.Increasing standard of education at
all levels
11.Ensuring quality health services
for all
12.Enhanced use of digital technology
for overall development
13.Ensuring power and energy safety
14.Modern agricultural
system-mechanization
15.Skilled and service oriented public
administration
16.People’s friendly law enforcement
agencies
17.Blue economy and marine resources
development
18.Ensuring road safety
19.Welfare for senior citizen,
disabled and autistic people
20.Sustainable and inclusive
development, prosperous Bangladesh
21.Increasing public and private
investments
We find the best manifestos have three
characteristics:
a)They are provocative. Manifestos are
powerful because they interrupt the status quo. The language of manifesto or
aspirational statement should stretch and challenge what currently exists. This
is why we sometimes call manifestos “provocative propositions.”
b)They are grounded. At the same time,
manifestos cannot be fanciful. They have to be grounded in reality and built
upon the strengths of the people, team or product they advance. They are really desired.
c) Finally, manifestos generate
results when they reflect something that is truly desired. A manifesto is for
something that does excite emotion or meet a real need. It is also meant to
motivate; motivation begins with desire.
Publicising a manifesto for AL was
very important. Doing so serves several purposes: it cements a political
party’s intention and creates accountability for project leaders and
participants; it builds excitement and energy for the initiative; it creates
awareness with their voters, who can show their support for the ideas or cause;
and the conversations that occur are an important spark in making the future
they want a reality. And all these bechanced through this just concluded ballot
revolution. We know PM Sheikh Hasina and her party’s strengths, we see the best
in her and AL and we are eager to live out the future they have designed
together through their election pledges.
If we tot up, we must say whether
political priorities will be dictated by economic motives is a matter which
remains open to debate. We can only hope that heed is paid to the outstanding
issues of good governance which are restraining Bangladesh from embarking on an
inclusive economic development path, dictated by solid, transparent political commitments.
This country stands at the cross-roads of history, after forty-seven years of
independence. Forty-seven years is a long time to change the face and fortunes
of a country and its people to a greater extent. In all these years, for
ordinary people in Bangladesh, our political leadership has always given them
reasons for hope, as well as disappointment. The next five years could be
singularly consequential for our country. They bring challenge as well as
opportunity. For all the past shortcomings in the past, if the AL’s manifestos
are to be believed, people cannot be blamed for having the audacity to hope for
more peace, progress and prosperity for the nation, it’s for all classes of
people and it is for people of all religions on the same scale for the next
five years.
Sheikh Hasina has enlivened people to
make a difference in whatever way they can. To be the change-maker she wants,
to be kind to everyone, and to always be ready with a hug, but most of all she
has taught us to light up every day with a smile! She has never backed down
from a challenge. We admire her perseverance; she always has kept her head up
during the hardest times. We look up to her because she has the strength to
never give up hope. She is a composer of politics in the landscape of
Bangladesh.
Because of her unflagging work for her
people to improve their lot, many international observers have also hailed her
as the modern day Joan of Arc. She may
be called the "Idol of the Masses.” It is aptly said, “If Rabi Thakur is
the poet of thinking, reflection and thought, if Bangabandhu is the poet of
politics, then Sheikh Hasina is the poet of development.”
Premier Sheikh Hasina personifies the
unbeatable spirit. Vision 2021 programme of Awami League has envisioned turning
Bangladesh into a “Sonar Bangla” — Golden Bengal — as dreamt by the father of
the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has now become a reality.
Despite developments, many problems
are still prevalent in the country which calls for dire emergency needed actions
for Bangladesh to master over them including all aspects of the environment,
such as, climate change, deforestation, water-logging and an increase in CO2
emissions. Corruption is a breeding ground in the country. Instead of
lessening, it is growing day by day. Corruption reduces the effectiveness of
efforts to reduce poverty and assist growth. A vigorous and credible programme
is needed to combat corruption in Bangladesh.
The spread of power away from the
centre to local branches or governments is not taken as yet by Hasina’s
government. So, everything is centralised to the Metropolitan Dhaka City. Dhaka
is now an unfit or unsuitable to live in it. Education is not trade. It is a
cardinal necessity for the nation as a whole to develop it in tune with time in
the spirit to cope up with other developed nations. Many science and technology
based educational institutions for quality educations are not grown-up as
expected during the 10 years’ rule of Hasina. Road safety, traffic gridlock,
water-logging, etc. are not taken proper care. These state of difficulties
centre round the Metropolitan Dhaka City which need to have been resolved long
before, but these are no-hopers for the government. Despite some large projects
being implemented, establishing more train lines, fly-overs, roads, by-pass
roads have failed to draw the attention of Hasina’s government.
In short, to become a middle-income
country by 2021, Bangladesh has a long way to go. Its track record of growth
rather makes people hopeful of achieving the status. Bangladesh has showed
significant development in many sectors that need to properly manage and
nurture. To ensure growth, and faster improvement, there’s no alternative to
robust investments, development of manpower and increased productivity. One may
hope to address the above-noted predicaments shall find a place in AL’s would
be government. Faced with urgent, economic and political problems, over the
next five years, she is likely to have a challenging path to navigate in her
bid to lead the country into a new era. But she has that much of courage and
powerfulness like her great father to sail through her exams. And Bangladesh’s
unbeatable butt in the direction of development shall continue since AL is now
set to form the new government sooner. Joy Bangla. Joy Bangabandhu.
The End –
The writer is a senior citizen of
Bangladesh, writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current
and international affairs.
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