by Naim-Ul-Karim
DHAKA, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's two large rival political parties have rolled out their poll manifestos for the general elections slated for Dec. 30 with a set of promises to woo voters.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Bangladesh Awami League party in its election manifesto unveiled at a press conference in Dhaka on Tuesday promised more efforts for rural developments.
If voted to power for the third time, Hasina pledged to transform Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021, and a developed country by 2041.
Reading out her party's 80-page manifesto document titled "Bangladesh on Path to Progress and Prosperity," she said all the rural villages will be connected to the cities and towns via concrete roads while electricity will reach every household in rural areas.
In order to create more employment and make internet and information technology within reach of people everywhere, she said they will build mills and factories all around the country.
She also expressed her commitment to protecting the country against terrorism, militancy, drugs, communalism and corruption and maintain democracy and the rule of law if she retains power.
On the other hand, ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) also unveiled its manifesto on Tuesday with a set of promises, including making democracy its everyday practice and raising GDP growth to 11 percent.
Reading out the manifesto on behalf of Khaleda Zia who is now behind the bar, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir assured of taking no revenge against anyone if his party is voted to power.
The 9-page summary document of BNP manifesto promises include ensuring the balance between the powers of the president and the prime minister.
It said provisions will be made to prevent a prime minister from serving more than two consecutive terms.
According to the manifesto, foreigners working in Bangladesh will be prevented from laundering money.
Apart from them, the party also vowed to scrap what it said "black laws of this government" in order to ensure freedom of speech and expression.
Awami League, which rose to power with a landslide election victory in early 2009 and won its second term in 2014, is facing challenges from Zia's BNP and its allies.
As many as 1,841 candidates are contesting in the country's upcoming general election for 300 constituencies. According to the commission, out of total contesting candidates in the 11th national elections slated for Dec. 30, 1,745 are party candidates while 96 are independent candidates.
Tens of thousands of paramilitary troops were deployed Tuesday in Bangladesh capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country to thwart violence ahead of general elections.
The country's Election Commission had earlier announced to deploy army personnel from Dec. 24 as a striking force across the country.
