Jatiya Party (Ershad)
Introduction
Bangladesh earned its independence through a long bloody freedom struggle
but the fruits of independence have not yet been achieved by the people.
The people have given their lives, shed blood, continued their movement
and even changed governments with the high hope of having a happy and
prosperous country, economic emancipation, social peace security, right to
franchise and so on, but all their sacrifices have gone in vain. All
these, however, have established a truth- as to which political party is
their real friend, which party can efficiently and successfully run the
country and achieved meaningful development for the nation. Since
independence till now, by all yardsticks of judgement and considering the
progress and development achieved in the spheres of national life, it has
been proved beyond doubt that Jatiya Party's rule of 9 years has been the
golden era of development for Bangladesh since independence. In the
backdrop of this success and experience, Jatiya Party strongly believes
that it can form the government with the people's mandate in the coming
elections to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the nation. Jatiya Party
presents the following manifesto to build a new Bangladesh:
Political
a. The core principles of Jatiya Party are peace, prosperity,
reconstruction and progress-oriented politics and modernisation by Which
it can go hand in hand with the rest of the developing world. Jatiya Party
has always been against the politics of victimization, for smooth sailing
of democratic norms in the country. Instead, it is determined to set up an
atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect for one another in the
country's political arena.
b.
Jatiya Party does not believe in the Politics of Hartal (general strike).
Appropriate law will be introduced to the country with a view to stopping
confrontational political activities including Hartal.
Reconstruction
a. In place of unitary system of central government, the country
may have a few provincial governments as well as the one in the centre. It
is extremely difficult for one central government to efficiently rule in a
country of 130 million people utterly beset with multifarious problems.
Therefore, we propose to divide the country into 8 provinces. Each
province will have a provincial assembly and the affairs of the respective
province including all development works will be run by the provincial
governments. The Party Chairman, Hussain Muhammad Ershad has elaborately
explained his ideas of the provincial system of government in a separate
booklet.
b.
At least 50% of the headquarters located in Dhaka City will be relocated
outside Dhaka City.
Peace and Discipline
a. The police force will be augmented proportionately to
the population of the country and the police forces will be modernised.
Pay and allowances and ancillary facilities will be increased for the
police.
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Police
will have free rationing
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The
armed forces will be utilized for the country's development works
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The
Bangladesh Rifles will be strengthened and necessary measures will be
taken to protect the frontiers
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Pay
and allowances of Ansar and VDP personnel will be increased and they
will be vested with more powers.
b.
A terror free society will be established. If Jatiya Party comes to power,
it will root out all terrorist activities from the country within 3 months
and all kinds of extortion will be eliminated.
Education
a. Number of schools and colleges will be increased and
arrangements will be made for free education for both boys and girls up to
Higher Secondary Certificate Examination.
b.
The salary of registered private primary school teachers will be brought
at per with their government counterparts.
c.
The salary of private schools and college teachers those are included in
the M.P.O. will be increased by 80 to 100 percent.
d.
Rangpur Karmichel College will be elevated to an University.
e.
The salary of standard Madrasha teachers will be raised to the level of
government teachers of their level.
Health
a. A 'Health for all' programme will be introduced and Health
complexes will be set up at the Union level with 10 beds in each.
b.
Programme will be taken to purify underground water containing arsenic
throughout the country.
Agriculture
a. Agricultural appliances and inputs would be made easily
available. Flair price for agricultural products would be ensured.
b.
Price of fertilizer and diesel would not be enhanced.
c.
For the welfare of the poor farmers rural banks known as Palli Bank would
be set up. This bank will generate more rural employment and disburse
credit at a nominal service charge of Tk. 5.00 only. The Rural Bank will
give the facility of repayment of loan installments and service charges
quarterly during harvesting seasons.
d.
Barindra Project of North Bengal will be expanded as per the original
plan.
e.
Rajshahi North irrigation project will be materialised.
Social Development
a. A special allowance would be introduced for old and incapable
people from the state.
b.
Pathakali Trust would be reintroduced for the neglected children making
provision for their education and vocational training to make them
self-reliant.
c.
Food for work programme would be introduced for poor rural woman.
Village Development
a. Having set up the village cluster scheme the landless and the
floating population would be rehabilitated in each Upa Zila.
b.
Village rationing would be introduced.
c.
A Union Complex would be set up in each union. By appointing a government
official under the Upa Zila Chairman each union would be set up as a
grass-root institution.
Communication System
a. Effective steps would be taken to eliminate traffic jam in every
populous cities including Dhaka constructing new roads and fly-over, Steps
would also be taken to transfer the site of Dhaka Central Launch Terminal
from Sadarghat to Pagla. The proposed Launch Terminal would be most modern
up-to-date.
b.
The big bridges would be constructed on the river Padma and Tista. The
present ferry system would be replaced by constructing bridges on the
small reevaluates step by step.
Religious
a. Existing laws would be brought in line with the principles of the
Quoran and Sunnah. Salary will be provided to the Iamam and Muazzin in of
Mosque in 68 thousand village of Bangladesh
b.
Laws contrary Quran and Sunnah shall be amended.
c. Shariah laws would be followed as far as possible.
d. Special laws would be made for
punishing those making derogatory remarks against the Prophet (sm) and the
Shariah.
e.
Religious education would be made compulsory at all levels.
f. Right of the followers of all religion shall be safeguarded.
Law and Justice
a. Freedom of Judiciary will be ensured. Judiciary system will be
separated from the administration. The number of High Court Judges will be
increased as per requirements and the facilities and benefits will be
enhanced.
b. The worst black law of the
century- Public Safety Act of 2000, Special Power Act of 1974 and all
other black laws will be removed.
Woman and child rights
a. Functioning of the Family Courts would be further strengthened to
protect the rights of women.
b. Reserved women's seat will be
raised to 64 from 30 after due amendment to the constitution.
c. Necessary steps would be taken to
protect child mortality rate.
Labour Welfare
a. Wages for the labour would be
enhanced and a National Minimum Wage would be declared.
b. To combat unemployment problem
new employment opportunities would be created.
Industry
a. Foreign and local investments would be encouraged by bringing back
stable and healthy political environment.
b. Small and cottage industry
enclaves would be set up at all districts and Upa Zillas.
c. Industrialisation in the northern
region will be expedited through balanced distribution of gas.
Economy
a. Necessary measures would be taken to make the country's economy
more progressive and forward looking. Effective measures would be taken to
remove economic disparity of different areas in the country.
b. New industries would be set up
and industrial credit facilities would be eased.
c. Strong measures would be taken to
increase foreign exchange reserve of the country.
d. Bangladeshis earning abroad would
be encouraged to remit more and more of their savings to the country for
fruitful utilization of their money.
e. Foreign investment would be made
more attractive. A sense of confidence would be brought back in the
investment climate market and a congenial environment would be created for
small investors.
f. In industrialisation, foreign
investment and bank loan special measures would be taken for less
developed areas in the country, specially in the northern region.
g. Implementation of the economic
opportunities and acceptance of the challenges of globalisation and the
WTO system will be arranged.
Energy and Power
a. Rural electrification would be further extended.
b. Production of electricity would
be brought at a level to cope up with the country's requirement.
c. A separate unit of electric
production would be set up at the capital to meet the dire shortage of
electric supply in Dhaka City.
d. All feasible measures would be
undertaken to extend supply of gas in different parts of the country.
Incentives for the war of Liberation
a. The incentives for the war of liberation would be further
strengthened.
b. Priority measures would be
undertaken in providing jobs for the Freedom Fighters.
Sports and culture
a. One cricket stadium in each of
the District will be constructed within a span of five years.
b. More effective measures would be
undertaken for development of sports in the country.
c. Country's culture would receive
greater patronization to counter infiltration of foreign influence in this
field and preserve our national culture.
Aborigine
Interests of the aborigines would be safeguarded.
Environment
Ecological balance for the protection of environment and the control of
environment pollution will be strengthened.
Other measures
a. Pension for government employees would be fixed at the terminal
point of basic pay.
b. Full-fledged Upo Zilla system
would be reintroduced including Upo Zilla courts.
c. To protect the entire Dhaka city
from the floods, embankment project programme undertaken by the Jatiya
Party government which remained totally ignored and neglected by the last
two consecutive governments would be speeded up.
d. Freedom of press and mass media
would be ensured.
Conclusion
Human civilization has stepped into a phase of a new millennium
side-tracking the old. We have entered into an age of new technology. This
is a glorious chapter in our lifetime. Jatiya Party strongly believes in
modern and progressive thoughts, ideals and principles. Jatiya Party have
always moved in tune with the needs and welfare of the country and the
people in good times as well as in the face of all odds during its 9-year
rule. People still remember it as the golden era of their political and
social life. Even today, it steadfastly holds on to its commitment and
utmost endeavour to build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh and a peaceful
life for all her citizens free from hooliganism, snatchery, murder,
nepotism, corruption and misrule. Jatiya Party declares to end all these
maladies of our social and political life in less than 3 months, if voted
to power. Jatiya Party never held any false promises or deviate from the
fulfillment of its commitments- Insha Allah, it is determined to fulfil
the hopes and aspirations of the people, come what may.
Let
Jatiya Party serve you better and show once more how it is different from
other political parties in achieving the country's development works,
progress and prosperity and improving the shattered law and order
situation we have been dipped in.
