What is in Khaleda Zia’s Vision 2030?

[Luffy 500]

My opinion about this "vision 2030" is a bit negative. Now I personally despise BNP for their utter incompetence, spineless and apologetic political stance but I will try to be fair in my criticism. Their vision has the following flaws IMHO:

- There is hardly any point regarding electoral reforms i.e eliminating the archaic British FPTP system for more fairer proportional representation system. One of the reasons BAL managed to achieve super-majority in 2008 is because of this farce and unjust british system that is prone to rigging in 3rd world countries.

- No talk about constitutional reforms or framing a new constitution that reflects the values and beliefs of the masses.

- They talk about restricting PM's power but it was BNP that also strengthen the post of the PM eliminating all checks and balances. Guess it took 8 years of political lynching by BAL to realize the importance of checks and balances. BD never had proper checks & balances.

- No talk about reforming & overhauling a pathetic, corrupt and utterly inefficient bureaucracy.

- No talk about decentralization of administrative and legislative powers that is vitally needed for such a densely populated underdeveloped country.

Their "vision" leaves a lot to be desired. But even so BNP is lesser of the 2 evils while BAL is an indian sponsored facist party. Its really funny that BNP actually expects BAL to arrange a fair 2019 election given the fact that BAL very survival would be at stake if they loose. Not to mention the Indian factor which is at play. There is NO way BAL would allow fair voting or expression of popular mandate. Forget about these useless "visions".

- we're going to have 4G in a few months...and she says we'll have 3G across the country by 2030

suppose this is what happens when you steal AL manifesto from 2008

- 1 doctor for every citizen...great 180mil, so 180mil doctors

- I'll get rid of the Special Powers Act - yeah, why didnt you do it the last 2 times you were in power?

- Oh and she promised to make us the rainbow nation - uhoh...the mullahs are gonna be mad.

Oh and the same BNP that didnt allow Bangladesh to join the international submarine cable consortium because joining it would result in 'all national information' being stolen...now speaks of investing in information technology and data centers

I love the bnp supporters bending over backwards trying to make this shit sound like anything other than a joke

NOT defending incompetent BNP, but an Islamophobe like you who likes to deride Muslims calling them "backward & ignorant" should have known the meaning of "rainbow nation". The joke is on you :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_nation

It was coined by S.African Desmond TUTU symbolizing racially inclusive post-apartheid South Africa. The term per se has nothing to do with LGBT filth.

Guess you are noting but a typical ignorant intellectually colonized islamophobe living in his own bubble. This is what happens when you waste you time consuming tabloid news and basing your intellectual framework based on youtube videos of 2 bit Islamophobes. Only thing you have is a loud mouth.

@idune @Arefin007 check this Einstein out.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

BNP has failed the nation when it was elected two times in the past. The Lady leader is no visionary and no revolutionary. Among many stupid things, her govt. did at least the following mistakes:

1) BNP did not add a single watt of electricity to the national power grid when it was in Gaddi in the 2nd term. Production was static at 3500 mW during the five years.
2) Instead of encouraging industrialization, BNP successfully destroyed at least one industry, the polythene bag manufacturing. This opened ways for India to smuggle this item into the country.
3) At the very displeasure of China, BNP allowed the opening of a Taiwan Trade Office in Dhaka. Such a trade office is equivalent to an embassy.
4) BNP unnecessarily displeased India by demanding an yearly $150 million for a pipeline from Arakan to west Bengal via BD.
5) BNP's international interaction was almost limited to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan only.
6) BNP's Begum zia and her son Tareque very successfully caused the impeaching of President Badrudoza Chowdhury. The President's fault was he became more popular than the insular Begum zia. This one act initiated people to dislike BNP and Begum Zia.
7) During the two terms, BNP almost stopped military hardware procurement. It converted the frigate Bangabandhu to a naval museum, filed a corruption case against the previous AL purchase of mig-29s and talked about selling the migs to a third country.
8) BNP failed to file a suite against Burma or India to claim the sea area in the BoB. It did not even initiated the preparation of documents on this serious matter.

There are hundred others that can be cited as examples of BNP Lady's inept and callous character. Yet, she comes out with 2030 goals without really knowing their meaning. Her only intention is to win the next election and bring back her spoiled son Tareque from London, where he spends $20,000 per month for house rent. Her another pet project is probably to rename the Dhaka Airport in her husband's name.

All these points are absolutely correct.One of her biggest crime was allowing militant group to grow unchecked and create chaos and meyham.We have not forgotten the 500 cocktail detonation simultaneously in 63 districts,killing judges,grenade attack,bombing cinema hall,church,cultural programs,killing Shah AMS Kibria,attack on British high commissioner Anwar Choudhury,Bangla Bhai,Shykh Abdur Rahman,emergence of JMB,Huji terror networks.Then Bangladesh was on it's way to become another Pakistan.

I will never forgive Khaleda and BNP for decommissioning our most capable warship,Ulsan class frigate and grounding and trying to sale the most capable fighter jet Mig-29 just to fulfill her political vendetta.Sometimes I wonder,whether her verbal opposition of India was just a facade to hide her RAW appointed mission to destroy our defence capability.Moreover during her tenure,huge trade gap with India was created.Is this the sample of her anti India posture?

She didn't initiate a single big infrastructure project. Load shedding was a nightmare.I still remember attack on electricity distribution offices by the suffering enraged people on the various part of the country.Not a single MW electricity was added in entire 5 years period.200 billion Taka were looted in the name of Khamba project.

Rather that trying to fool the people with this vision 2030 deception,she should disclose in a white paper on how much money Tarek choora looted under her supervision.By which grace of God, the famous torn genji and broken suitcase bore so much fortune for her thief son.And she should apologize for her all past sins.Only then people will regain some confidence on her.

 

[Mage]

My opinion about this "vision 2030" is a bit negative. Now I personally despise BNP for their utter incompetence, spineless and apologetic political stance but I will try to be fair in my criticism. Their vision has the following flaws IMHO:

- There is hardly any point regarding electoral reforms i.e eliminating the archaic British FPTP system for more fairer proportional representation system. One of the reasons BAL managed to achieve super-majority in 2008 is because of this farce and unjust british system that is prone to rigging in 3rd world countries.

- No talk about constitutional reforms or framing a new constitution that reflects the values and beliefs of the masses.

- They talk about restricting PM's power but it was BNP that also strengthen the post of the PM eliminating all checks and balances. Guess it took 8 years of political lynching by BAL to realize the importance of checks and balances. BD never had proper checks & balances.

- No talk about reforming & overhauling a pathetic, corrupt and utterly inefficient bureaucracy.

- No talk about decentralization of administrative and legislative powers that is vitally needed for such a densely populated underdeveloped country.

Their "vision" leaves a lot to be desired. But even so BNP is lesser of the 2 evils while BAL is an indian sponsored facist party. Its really funny that BNP actually expects BAL to arrange a fair 2019 election given the fact that BAL very survival would be at stake if they loose. Not to mention the Indian factor which is at play. There is NO way BAL would allow fair voting or expression of popular mandate. Forget about these useless "visions".



NOT defending incompetent BNP, but an Islamophobe like you who likes to deride Muslims calling them "backward & ignorant" should have known the meaning of "rainbow nation". The joke is on you :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_nation

It was coined by S.African Desmond TUTU symbolizing racially inclusive post-apartheid South Africa. The term per se has nothing to do with LGBT filth.

Guess you are noting but a typical ignorant intellectually colonized islamophobe living in his own bubble. This is what happens when you waste you time consuming tabloid news and basing your intellectual framework based on youtube videos of 2 bit Islamophobes. Only thing you have is a loud mouth.

@idune @Arefin007 check this Einstein out.

So you despise BNP and despise AL even more. So which party you support? The great Jamaat Islami Bangladesh?

BNP has failed the nation when it was elected two times in the past. The Lady leader is no visionary and no revolutionary. Among many stupid things, her govt. did at least the following mistakes:

1) BNP did not add a single watt of electricity to the national power grid when it was in Gaddi in the 2nd term. Production was static at 3500 mW during the five years.
2) Instead of encouraging industrialization, BNP successfully destroyed at least one industry, the polythene bag manufacturing. This opened ways for India to smuggle this item into the country.
3) At the very displeasure of China, BNP allowed the opening of a Taiwan Trade Office in Dhaka. Such a trade office is equivalent to an embassy.
4) BNP unnecessarily displeased India by demanding an yearly $150 million for a pipeline from Arakan to west Bengal via BD.
5) BNP's international interaction was almost limited to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan only.
6) BNP's Begum zia and her son Tareque very successfully caused the impeaching of President Badrudoza Chowdhury. The President's fault was he became more popular than the insular Begum zia. This one act initiated people to dislike BNP and Begum Zia.
7) During the two terms, BNP almost stopped military hardware procurement. It converted the frigate Bangabandhu to a naval museum, filed a corruption case against the previous AL purchase of mig-29s and talked about selling the migs to a third country.
8) BNP failed to file a suite against Burma or India to claim the sea area in the BoB. It did not even initiated the preparation of documents on this serious matter.

There are hundred others that can be cited as examples of BNP Lady's inept and callous character. Yet, she comes out with 2030 goals without really knowing their meaning. Her only intention is to win the next election and bring back her spoiled son Tareque from London, where he spends $20,000 per month for house rent. Her another pet project is probably to rename the Dhaka Airport in her husband's name.

@idune @BANGLAR BIR

What do you have to say in reply to this post?

 

[bluesky]

Guess you are noting but a typical ignorant intellectually colonized islamophobe living in his own bubble. This is what happens when you waste you time consuming tabloid news and basing your intellectual framework based on youtube videos of 2 bit Islamophobes. Only thing you have is a loud mouth.

@idune @Arefin007 check this Einstein out.

By reading your post, it seems all the backwardness of the Muslim countries are due to Christian countries who spread tabloid news and gossip. You deny the wrongdoing by the uneducated kath-Mullah Muslims themselves. Yet, you call other neutral/secular people Islamphobic. Not very strange opinion from you.

 

[Banglar Bir]

Massive changes needed in edn system: Khaleda
Staff Correspondent | Published: 00:39, May 14,2017 | Updated: 01:37, May 14,2017

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia addresses a seminar on education system of Bangladesh organised by BNP at Ladies Club in Dhaka on Saturday. — New Age photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday said that massive changes in the country’s education system were required to reflect people’s aspirations.
Addressing the closing session of a seminar, Khaleda, a former prime minister, said she was not an educationist but felt the necessity of change in the education system when she was in power at different terms.
BNP organised the national seminar on ‘Present Education System of Bangladesh and Our Future’ at Dhaka Ladies Club in the capital.
Slogan of the seminar was ‘ Education for Change’.
Khaleda said the student community of this country before independence had carried out movement and sacrificed blood for a time-befitting and welfare-oriented education but the education problem yet persisted.
The BNP chief said education gives lesson to people to be respectful to different opinions.
But unfortunately the incumbent government trampled the basic objective of education, she said.
Though they (government) claimed advancement in education sector, they in fact destroyed democracy and curtailed freedom of expression, she alleged.
She said all types of existing education systems in the country must link up to take education ahead.
Referring to her party’s charter Vision 2030, Khaleda said if BNP was voted to power in the next election, they would make the education people welfare-oriented.
She pledged that five per cent GDP would be spent in education to free the country from the curse of illiteracy and other educational problems.
Dhaka University former vice-chancellor Emajuddin Ahamed inaugurated the seminar, which was divided into six sessions including inaugural and concluding sessions.
The topics on primary and secondary education, various streams in education system, tertiary and advanced education and science and technology education were discussed in four sessions.
Teachers of Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology presented the keynote papers on the respective topics.
Each session featured question and answer session.
Teachers of different educational institutions, academics and BNP leaders were present at the seminar.
Inaugurating the seminar, Emajuddin Ahamed said strong political will of the nation was necessary to bring radical reformation to the education system.
He said the country’s political culture was such that only ruling party would formulate policy of important national issue like education through engaging only partisan people.
In other countries this responsibility is bestowed on the experts, said Emajuddin, noted political scientist.
Sirajul Islam, teacher of Dhaka University, in his paper said copying and question paper leak were putting negative impact on the minds of children and the standard of primary education declined due to faulty education curriculum and low standard textbooks with numerous errors.
He said absence of democracy was directly and indirectly responsible for the present dark decade in the education sector.
Shah Shamim Ahmed, associate professor of Institute of Education and Research, Dhaka University, said recruiting teacher, enlistment for MPO, student admission and promotion and transfer of teachers were plagued with corruption and mismanagement.
The closing session was presided over by BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir while former Dhaka University teacher Mahbub Ullah presented a paper.
It was addressed among others by BNP education affairs secretary Obaidul Islam and assistant education affairs secretary Helen Zerin Khan.

- See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/155...ed-in-edn-system-khaleda#sthash.DnJCedJr.dpuf

 

[Banglar Bir]

So you despise BNP and despise AL even more. So which party you support? The great Jamaat Islami Bangladesh?


@idune @BANGLAR BIR

What do you have to say in reply to this post?

Too early to predict. Let wait till a credible,all inclusive participatory,elections takes place first in a peaceful atmosphere, creating a level playing field for all political parties, neutralising the highly politicized administration,etc.
I most probably may refrain from casting my ballot paper, knowing that it wouldn't make any difference in the overall results.
Moreover, as a veteran Freedom Fighter, I would welcome any Patriotic visionary leader, yet to witness for the last couple of decades. Meanwhile I will continue highlighting the flaws made by any party in power.

That's exactly what I am trying to project. Our Political Leaders MUST learn to endure criticism, not chase them with Police, employees of the public and paid by the taxpayers.

07:52 PM, May 13, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 08:00 PM, May 13, 2017
‘Cops trying to nab comedian Rony over Facebook post on PM’
Rony says ‘sorry’

popular comedian Abu Hena Rony. Photo taken from Facebook
Star Online Report

Law enforcers were trying to arrest popular comedian Abu Hena Rony in connection with a case filed for making a “derogatory comment” about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on his Facebook account, police said today.
“He [Rony] is on run. We are trying to arrest him," said Sub-Inspector Kahiruzzamn Ripon of Singra Police Station in Natore.
Ripon, also the investigation officer of the case, said police were also collecting evidence and investigating the matter.
Earlier, Hafizur Rahman Sabuj, joint secretary of Awami Jubo League’s Singra upazila unit, filed the case against Rony under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act on Thursday night, reports our Natore correspondent.
Rony, also a “Mirakkel Akkel” Champion, posted a status with a photo on his personal Facebook account about the PM's recent photo in Cox’s Bazar which went viral.
Sabuj, plaintiff of the case, told The Daily Star that Rony often comments against the PM on his Facebook. “I have collected these from his Facebook page. The PM has a personal life but Rony made bitter comment about her life also.”
It’s just a joke, says Rony
Meanwhile, Rony told our local correspondent that he had posted the photo “just for a joke”.
"As a comedian, I’ve posted the photograph and the status only for joke, not for any political motive," he said.
He, however, deleted the post following the outrage on the social media platform and public anger.
“I am sorry if I have hurt anybody with the Facebook post," he added.

 

[Mage]

Too early to predict. Let wait till a credible,all inclusive participatory,elections takes place first in a peaceful atmosphere, creating a level playing field for all political parties, neutralising the highly politicized administration,etc.
I most probably may refrain from casting my ballot paper, knowing that it wouldn't make any difference in the overall results.
Moreover, as a veteran Freedom Fighter, I would welcome any Patriotic visionary leader, yet to witness for the last couple of decades. Meanwhile I will continue highlighting the flaws made by any party in power.

That's exactly what I am trying to project. Our Political Leaders MUST learn to endure criticism, not chase them with Police, employees of the public and paid by the taxpayers.

07:52 PM, May 13, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 08:00 PM, May 13, 2017
‘Cops trying to nab comedian Rony over Facebook post on PM’
Rony says ‘sorry’

popular comedian Abu Hena Rony. Photo taken from Facebook
Star Online Report

Law enforcers were trying to arrest popular comedian Abu Hena Rony in connection with a case filed for making a “derogatory comment” about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on his Facebook account, police said today.
“He [Rony] is on run. We are trying to arrest him," said Sub-Inspector Kahiruzzamn Ripon of Singra Police Station in Natore.
Ripon, also the investigation officer of the case, said police were also collecting evidence and investigating the matter.
Earlier, Hafizur Rahman Sabuj, joint secretary of Awami Jubo League’s Singra upazila unit, filed the case against Rony under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act on Thursday night, reports our Natore correspondent.
Rony, also a “Mirakkel Akkel” Champion, posted a status with a photo on his personal Facebook account about the PM's recent photo in Cox’s Bazar which went viral.
Sabuj, plaintiff of the case, told The Daily Star that Rony often comments against the PM on his Facebook. “I have collected these from his Facebook page. The PM has a personal life but Rony made bitter comment about her life also.”
It’s just a joke, says Rony
Meanwhile, Rony told our local correspondent that he had posted the photo “just for a joke”.
"As a comedian, I’ve posted the photograph and the status only for joke, not for any political motive," he said.
He, however, deleted the post following the outrage on the social media platform and public anger.
“I am sorry if I have hurt anybody with the Facebook post," he added.

I was asking your opinion of the mistakes of BNP that bluesky posted. Not which party you prefer.

 

[idune]

My opinion about this "vision 2030" is a bit negative. Now I personally despise BNP for their utter incompetence, spineless and apologetic political stance but I will try to be fair in my criticism. Their vision has the following flaws IMHO:

- There is hardly any point regarding electoral reforms i.e eliminating the archaic British FPTP system for more fairer proportional representation system. One of the reasons BAL managed to achieve super-majority in 2008 is because of this farce and unjust british system that is prone to rigging in 3rd world countries.

- No talk about constitutional reforms or framing a new constitution that reflects the values and beliefs of the masses.

- They talk about restricting PM's power but it was BNP that also strengthen the post of the PM eliminating all checks and balances. Guess it took 8 years of political lynching by BAL to realize the importance of checks and balances. BD never had proper checks & balances.

- No talk about reforming & overhauling a pathetic, corrupt and utterly inefficient bureaucracy.

- No talk about decentralization of administrative and legislative powers that is vitally needed for such a densely populated underdeveloped country.

Their "vision" leaves a lot to be desired. But even so BNP is lesser of the 2 evils while BAL is an indian sponsored facist party. Its really funny that BNP actually expects BAL to arrange a fair 2019 election given the fact that BAL very survival would be at stake if they loose. Not to mention the Indian factor which is at play. There is NO way BAL would allow fair voting or expression of popular mandate. Forget about these useless "visions".



NOT defending incompetent BNP, but an Islamophobe like you who likes to deride Muslims calling them "backward & ignorant" should have known the meaning of "rainbow nation". The joke is on you :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_nation

It was coined by S.African Desmond TUTU symbolizing racially inclusive post-apartheid South Africa. The term per se has nothing to do with LGBT filth.

Guess you are noting but a typical ignorant intellectually colonized islamophobe living in his own bubble. This is what happens when you waste you time consuming tabloid news and basing your intellectual framework based on youtube videos of 2 bit Islamophobes. Only thing you have is a loud mouth.

@idune @Arefin007 check this Einstein out.

Fully concur, couldn't say it better. I withheld my opinion because awami league cheer leading band echoing stupid "copy" mantra and all sorts of idiotic slur. KZ herself is not fit to lead in contemporary world. Her leadership competence and style outlived the time but she did not change with time. She still surround herself with incompetent and outright idiots but pushes real talents away.

That being said, awami league is not the answer. Awami league, as you correctly pointed out, anti Bangladesh and an indian tool to destroy fabric of Bangladesh.

Without a better alternative, KZ herself and BNP gets default and popular anti awami support.

There is sure a void in political leadership. In past when there was such void, military leadership stepped in but today Bangladesh military nothing but a mercenary force, hardly fit for leadership.

How this void will be filled in mid to long term, depend on many factors. Next 12 to 18 months will be interesting.

 

[Banglar Bir]

I was asking your opinion of the mistakes of BNP that bluesky posted. Not which party you prefer.

Every topic that bluesky stated need detailed analysis and discussions ,incorporating both positive and negative aspects incorporating the interest of other international powerful vested quarters,by simply jotting down few points by the stroke of a pen/keyboard and criticising, is not conductive.

These are just not possible in simple sentences. Moreover you younger generation neither have the patience nor the interest for detailed discussions/research. Yes there were definitely errors made but not as bluesky has stated, moreover damage was caused by her elder arrogant her son, subsequently hyper inflated during that period by Indo-US-European and UNDP bloc combined. These are Geo strategic-political realities of these era. however incorporate the success stories too.

 

[bluesky]

That being said, awami league is not the answer. Awami league, as you correctly pointed out, anti Bangladesh and an indian tool to destroy fabric of Bangladesh.

Would you mind telling us which of the existing political parties is the answer? Certainly it is not a theology-based party.

 

[Banglar Bir]

Would you mind telling us which of the existing political parties is the answer? Certainly it is not a theology-based party.

Choose as you deem fit,it's your inherent universal democratic right.

 

[BitHeroBD]

BNP has failed the nation when it was elected two times in the past. The Lady leader is no visionary and no revolutionary. Among many stupid things, her govt. did at least the following mistakes:

1) BNP did not add a single watt of electricity to the national power grid when it was in Gaddi in the 2nd term. Production was static at 3500 mW during the five years.
2) Instead of encouraging industrialization, BNP successfully destroyed at least one industry, the polythene bag manufacturing. This opened ways for India to smuggle this item into the country.
3) At the very displeasure of China, BNP allowed the opening of a Taiwan Trade Office in Dhaka. Such a trade office is equivalent to an embassy.
4) BNP unnecessarily displeased India by demanding an yearly $150 million for a pipeline from Arakan to west Bengal via BD.
5) BNP's international interaction was almost limited to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan only.
6) BNP's Begum zia and her son Tareque very successfully caused the impeaching of President Badrudoza Chowdhury. The President's fault was he became more popular than the insular Begum zia. This one act initiated people to dislike BNP and Begum Zia.
7) During the two terms, BNP almost stopped military hardware procurement. It converted the frigate Bangabandhu to a naval museum, filed a corruption case against the previous AL purchase of mig-29s and talked about selling the migs to a third country.
8) BNP failed to file a suite against Burma or India to claim the sea area in the BoB. It did not even initiated the preparation of documents on this serious matter.

There are hundred others that can be cited as examples of BNP Lady's inept and callous character. Yet, she comes out with 2030 goals without really knowing their meaning. Her only intention is to win the next election and bring back her spoiled son Tareque from London, where he spends $20,000 per month for house rent. Her another pet project is probably to rename the Dhaka Airport in her husband's name.

THANK YOU!

 

[Banglar Bir]

AL: why slightly nervous about the BNP?
Published: 00:05, May 17,2017

THE Awami League’s reaction to anything BNP is a bit puzzling. After all, the Awami League is the strongest government ever in power and has no opposition worth talking. It has crushed Jamaat, crippled the BNP, and got the Islamist groups, including Hefazat, and a voting community not much interested in politics with them. The civil society movement is in sharp decline and the army is a devoted ally. In that case, why did the Awami League display such nervousness when the BNP announced its vision in one seriously long speech ever given by a party leader? Very few heard it, even less consumed it but the Awami League reacted as if its seat is under some threat. The why is not answered.

WHAT the BNP said is not very important but it is obvious that the party wants to return to electoral politics for awhile at least. Surviving in the wilderness is not easy and hardly the BNP’s style. Street politics is what it does best but since that is absent now and street violence did not bear fruit, this is the only option left. The BNP would much rather topple the Awami League through a long agitation but the chances of mounting that is weak for the moment.

Trashing Khaleda is not enough?
SO IF that is the case, how does one explain the way the Awami League reacted to the Vision speech of Khaleda Zia delivered for 150 minutes or so? It was a disaster, but if one reads the reactions of the Awami League, it seems like a political success. As soon as Khaleda Zia finished her speech, most of the AL leaders went on a war path accusing the party and its leader of everything that is negative. It was a much bigger reaction than what the BNP could have expected. And that brings up the unexpected question of a party which may not exist as an organisation but still continues to be the main political rival to the Awami League.

TWO persons of the ruling combine are on a permanent duty to abuse Khaleda Zia. One is Inu and the other is Hanif. As politicians, they have little clout or following but their job depends on trashing Khaleda regularly. However, a new significant voice joined this chorus, the Awami League party’s general secretary Obaidul Qader, who began as the speech finished. Criticism was only to be expected but what political points were collected by the attacks remains to be seen. After all, a Vision is a very far away thing. It is not even an electoral promise. Unless even the idea of the BNP occupying any political centre stage even for an afternoon is a huge bother for the Awami League.

Decline of political state but…
DOES it mean the decimated BNP is still a political threat? But politics depends in our societies on organisational and funding structure. Causes and visions do not play a major role as voters are not influenced by promises but charisma. It is true that Khaleda is not over, but Hasina’s charisma, supported by the governmental and party structure, is far stronger. It is true that she can just shut off the TV signals and send the live show off — like she did the last time Khaleda did a press conference — but FB Live is there now which has complicated matters a bit. So shutting off broadcast signals is not that high-value now.
So Khaleda got her chance. And no matter how tiring her speech was, some political mileage was won. Media are discussing the BNP seriously instead of trashing it, activists are energised and there is evidence that the BNP is not dead. Most importantly, the Awami League has noticed the BNP as a contestant like it has not done in many years. So what is up?

THE ‘up’ is the possible demise of the ‘political’ state and the rise of the ‘bureaucratic’ state. The prime minister is more important as the head of the government and not a party leader as political activities are kept at a minimum. It is a safe strategy if there is no political challenge but it also means that political skills of the workers are declining. Reducing the opposition’s political space and spending all the time demonising the ‘enemy’ is fine but it is not conventional political activity.
Thus the opposition is either at the court defending cases or holding small meetings. By refusing large-scale meetings of the BNP, the Awami League has reduced their chances of political mobilisation in general. But that means the only politics left is the elections. And like it or not, it is causing some tension in the AL fortress. Can a safe election be guaranteed, a return to power by the ruling party?

Vote numbers, public perceptions and charisma factor
IN THE possible election of 2019, the Awami League would like to win an election that it would like to remember rather than one it has to explain all the time like the last. The Awami League has worked hard in the second semester but it is not the 2014 situation now and the vote is a very unpredictable thing. Take the Narayanganj elections where the Awami League fought Selina Hayat Ivy and lost and then went for her and won. Obviously, the party is not enough. Granted, no one is as popular as Ivy but the BNP got almost 35 per cent of the votes, more or less. However, core BNP voters are not that high but anti-AL vote makes it almost at par vote.
Even Selina Hayat Ivy who is so popular got 4 per cent less than the 2016 election victory. But at the councillor level, the BNP got half the seats; so, all that development work is no guarantee of voting popularity. It is not about performance only; it is about public perception of who they want as their leader.

IT IS too late for the Awami League to rein in infighting party activists and leaders and no time left to ignore the election. The Awami League has to give more space to the BNP from now on and it has to do all the explaining since it is the party in power. But the BNP will campaign on ‘look how bad AL democracy is, how bad its workers are’ platform. The Awami League will have to prove it is a great election to make the BNP’s accusation of vote rigging false.
But the AL political machine is rusty because of lack of use and so the effort needed to look robust will have to be more. The Awami League has gone for ‘looking friendly’ image, hence its soft stand on Islamists, hence its JP-led Islamist alliance and hence its ‘media freedom’. After a long time, ‘politics’, not ‘administrative success’, is going to take the main stage and both parties are now a bit woozy about it. And in an environment where the BNP has nothing to lose and the Awami League has everything to, it is only natural that the party in power reacts a bit edgily.

Afsan Chowdhury is a journalist and researcher.

- See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/15705/al-why-slightly-nervous-about-the-bnp#sthash.gu4ZEehT.dpuf

 

[Banglar Bir]

EDITORIAL

BNP’s laudable Vision 2030: Serious study needed

If the last eight years of Awami League (AL) regime of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is any indication—-which subjected its arch rival and de facto opposition BNP to persistent persecution and tyranny zation beyond description—-anticipating a democratic ambience in the near future is perhaps a pious hope; hence expecting a free, fair and credible parliament election on a level playing field is until now uncertain.

The ill-fated BNP has been on the receiving end of the AL government’s unrelenting ruthless repression; for instance massive arrests and enormous number of politically motivated fabricated police cases against the party leaders—-some among whom have been victims of custodial deaths and enforced disappearances.
The extent of cruelty thunderstruck all and sundry—-except of course the AL and PM—-when in February 2015, for long 5 days Khaleda Zia and 30 other people, including party leaders could not have proper food as police stopped anyone trying to take food “on high-ups’ orders.” BNP Vice-Chairman Selima Rahman, who was among those staying inside the office since 3 January 2015, questioned, “Is it a jail? Food is served in jails and the condemned criminals also get food.”

[Vide The Daily Star dated 21 February 2015].
“Bangladesh is sliding into one-party dictatorship”, wrote the Economist of London on 12 May 2016, adding “less reported is Bangladesh’s remorseless descent into authoritarian rule…Opposition has been marginalised, the League has bullied and muzzled the press and bought off public officials with a hefty pay rise. The courts, civil service, army and police are all thoroughly politicized.”

The state of the rule of law is deplorable. Fear of being picked up and killed by law enforcement agencies in their custody persists among those not toeing the AL line. In this context, national human rights groups like ASK and BLAST have been expressing their profound concern. The US state department, in its annual report on human rights practices in 2016 published on March 3, said that the extensive impunity of law enforcers misusing power like extra judicial killings, illegal custody and abduction, continued in Bangladesh as the government did not take measures to prosecute the cases of abuse and killing by the law enforcing agencies. [Vide India Today dated 6 March 2017; http: //indiatoday.intoday.in/story/us-state-department-report-bangladesh-human-rights-situation-hasanul-haq-inu/1/897992.html]

According to the human rights watchdog Odhikar, the total number of victims of extrajudicial killings from 2001 to 2017 February was 496, of which 149 were killed during the BNP rule (2001 - 2006), while during the Awami League regime (2009 to February 2017) the total number of victims of extrajudicial killings were 319—-more than double that of the BNP rule. [Vide http:/ /1dgy051 vgyxh 41o8cj 16kk7s 19f2. wpengine. netdna -cdn. com/ wp- content/ uploads /2017 /03/ Statistics_EJK_2001-2017-Janu-Feb.pdf].

Again, operations of all banks and financial institutions are regulated and/or supervised by the central bank. But it was quite abnormal on the part of a spy agency—-which is supposed to collect and analyse information in support of law enforcement, national security, military and foreign policy objectives (vide Paul Szoldra, Business Insider, May 11, 2013) to do an odd job. Going beyond their standard job description, on 5 January 2017, the military intelligence operatives picked up chairman and the managing director of Islami Bank Bangladesh (IBB) from their homes, brought them to the agency’s headquarters in Dhaka cantonment and asked them to resign, which they did. Subsequently the IBB’s board under the noses of intelligence officers selected their replacements. [Vide “The government initiates a coup at Bangladesh’s biggest bank”: the Economist of London, April 6th 2017].
Against such an alarming, bleak, pathetic backdrop and suffocating atmosphere Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister for three terms, has propounded her party’s Vision 2030, her party’s roadmap for governance and development if it comes to power which incorporates some trailblazing concepts, the foremost among which is the check and balance issue of executive powers.

While BNP’s founder President Ziaur Rahman retained the Presidential system introduced by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib, but revived multi-party democracy enabling the AL (which was abolished after the formation of one-party BKSAL in 1974 ) to do politics. In 1991, Khaleda Zia went a step further by restoring Parliamentary system which was in force before one-party BKSAL regime. BNP chief Khaleda said that “monolithic power makes PM a ‘dictator’’, so she wants “executive powers to be balanced with necessary amendment”.

The other salient features of her roadmap are: Bangladesh to be transformed into a high-middle income country by 2030; Referendum to be restored for people’s rights; Parliament to become centre of all national issues; Ombudsmen for administrative transparency; Special Power Act-1974 to be repealed; Per capita income to be upgraded to US$5,000; and annual growth rate to reach to double-digit figure.

The AL presented its Vision 2020 manifesto in 2008 which was accepted by people. But prior to that the Centre for Policy Dialogue prepared an initiative of Nagorik Committee 2006 and was published in August 2007. It had the following constructive goals:

Strengthened intra-party democracy and financial transparency; A trusted, decentralised, and impartial police force; A credible election process; A transparent campaign financing system; A civil and enlightened dialogue and debate oriented political culture; An Effective Parliament and Accountable Members of Parliament; Mandatory nominations for directly elected female Members of Parliament; Widely implemented Right to Information Act; An independent, efficient, decentralised and corruption-free judiciary; Guaranteed protection of human rights and the rule of law; A non-partisan and professional public administration system; An elected President with meaningful discretionary power; A vigilant and active civil society.

The other points were: To have an efficient, accountable, transparent and decentralised system of governance; A transparent and accountable policy-making process; A transparent procurement system; Wide use of e-governance in all government agencies; An effective Anti-corruption Commission; An independent Bangladesh Bank; An efficient, transparent and people-friendly land administration and so on.

The Vision 2030 of BNP deserves appreciation; however, its authors must burn the midnight oil with eminent economists for further home work to examine the possible intricate complexities, if any, of such a manifesto.

 

[Allah Akbar]

Khaleda zia will be blind in 2030.no vision for her

What is in Khaleda Zia’s Vision 2030?
Sumon Mahmud, Chief Political Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Published: 2017-05-10 12:56:39.0 BdST Updated: 2017-05-10 12:56:39.0 BdST

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BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is set to unveil ‘Vision 2030’, her party’s roadmap or governance and development if it comes to power, at a press conference.

The press conference would be held at the Westin Hotel Ballroom at 4:30pm on Wednesday.

“Vision 2030 is a thorough plan for how the BNP plans to govern,” said Khaleda's Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan.

“It will detail how the party will work out the country’s development, how it would run the government, how it will ensure the fundamental rights of the people, how it will create opportunities for employment, the economic reforms that it intends to pursue and what its relations will be with the rest of the world.”

On Monday, Khaleda approved the plan put forward by the National Standing Committee, the BNP’s policymaking forum.

Since leaving office in 2006, the BNP has not been in power and does not have a single seat in parliament, having boycotted the last national elections.

The BNP leadership has blamed government interference for its defeats in local government elections, but many senior leaders have complained about the weakness of the party.

According to some senior party leaders, the new vision will include various commitments to engage young voters across the country.

“We will try to highlight what we want our country to look like in 2030 and hold up that dream to the people,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Likely points in the Vision

>> Reforms of several government institutions, including efforts to restrict the powers of the head of government;

>> Promises to improve efficiency by removing party bias from state institutions and the ‘complete freedom’ of the judiciary;

>> Plans to develop the health and education sectors, among others;

>> Promise to reintroduce referendums to the Constitution;

>> Promises to increase free education opportunities and the creation of youth employment;

Khaleda Zia had previously discussed ‘Vision 2030’ during the BNP’s Sixth National Council in March 2016.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul described that speech an ‘outline’ and said the party chief would now come up with a full statement on the plans.

Apart from leaders from the BNP and its allies, the Gana Forum, the Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, the Krishak Sramik Janata League, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, the Nagorik Oikyo and other parties have been invited to the press conference.

The BNP says that while a group of representatives had taken an invitation to the Awami League offices in Dhanmondi, no one had ‘accepted’ it.

Diplomats and eminent citizens have also been invited.