Dhaka: The safety and security of minorities was among the focus areas as Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League released its manifesto for the country’s 12th national election.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina unveiled the manifesto in Dhaka with the slogan: “Smart Bangladesh: Visible Development, Increased Employment”.
If voted back to power, the Awami League has promised to set up a national minority commission, and enact a special law to safeguard the interests of minority communities.
The party, the manifesto says, will continue to take steps to ensure the safety and livelihood of religious and ethnic minorities, and underprivileged communities.
The manifesto refers to the “brutal attacks” and “discrimination” faced by religious and ethnic minorities during the tenure of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance government, noting that many were killed and raped, while others had their lands and businesses snatched away.
The Awami League has promised to complete the judicial process for these cases and prevent their recurrence.
The Awami League has said it will “continue with its policy of ending terror, discriminatory behaviour, and human rights violations of religious and ethnic minorities”, adding that it will “ensure the protection of their lives, properties, dignity, and equal rights in all spheres of public and private lives”.
Other focus areas of the manifesto include infrastructure development, freedom of the press, and transparency, accountability and good governance, besides “strengthened democratic values in all aspects of state management”.