AL promises to act tough on terror, improve ties with India

Dhaka, Dec 12 (PTI) Bangladesh's former prime minister
Sheikh Hasina's Awami League Friday announced its manifesto
for the December 29 general elections, pledging to fight
terrorism and religious extremism, besides promoting ties with
neighbouring India.

The manifesto proposed formation of a South Asian Task
Force to face challenges of terrorism and militancy and
maintenance of "friendly relationship with India, Nepal,
Bhutan and Myanmar" in the context of further strengthening
cooperation with all, including the West Asian Muslim nations.

"Terrorism and religious extremism will be controlled
with iron hand," Hasina told a gathering of distinguished
people representing different professional groups and foreign
diplomats.

She also promised a ban on the use of "religion and
communalism" in politics and ensure "security and rights of
religious and ethnic minorities, inculcating courtesy and
tolerance" in the country's political culture.

"Awami League will take initiative to formulate a
consensual and unanimous charter of political behaviour.

The Awami League manifesto came a day after the party
finalised the seat distribution arrangements with partners
including crucial ally Jatiya Party of former president
Hussain Mohammad Ershad after two days of dramatic shifts.

In a stunning reversal hours after severing links with
Awami League-led grand alliance over seat sharing disputes,
the former president last night announced their return to the
combine just ahead of the expiry of the deadline for
withdrawal of nomination papers under the election schedule.

Hasina's archrival Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh Nationalist
Party (BNP), which leads a four-party rightwing coalition in
the upcoming polls is expected to launch her campaign
announcing her manifesto Saturday.

She said the manifesto was dedicated to "new generation
voters" as 33 per cent of the total electorate was enrolled in
the list for the first time.

"Be aware that the vote you are casting for the first
time in your life does not go in vein," she said, with the
manifesto highlighting "five priority issues," including
continuation of the anti-graft campaign launched by the
current interim government.

The other priority issues the manifesto identifies are
maintenance of economic stability in face of global financial
crisis, power and energy, establishment of good governance,
continuing the reform campaign initiated by the interim
administration and "elimination of poverty and inequality".

Hasina, who too was arrested along with Zia to face graft
charges under a massive anti-corruption of the military-back
government, appreciated the caretaker administration, saying
its installation with "behind the scene support of the armed
forces" received "popular support".

She noted that the current government "separated the
judiciary from executive, reformed the Election Commission,
Public Service Commission and Anti-Corruption Commission".

"Our armed forces have earned people's admiration for
accomplishing this task with great efficiency. The caretaker
government has also reformed the electoral laws and
procedure," Hasina said.

But she was critical of the past BNP-led four party
government, saying their misrule and "blueprint" to retain
power staging a "rigged poll" sparked a "peoples resistance"
eventually inviting the state of emergency. PTI