'Political parties forget manifesto after election'

Although political parties make various commitments ahead of the election, they forget these when the election is over, experts said.

These is actually fraudulence in the name of manifesto. Pledges are made but not implemented. It is said there has been development in the country. But there are also questions about the quality of the development. Has the development taken place for all or not?

The experts made these observations at a dialogue on 'Commitment for national development: education, decent work and gender equality' on Saturday noon.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Young Power in Social Acton (IPSA) and UN Democracy Fund (UNDF) organised the event at a hotel in Agrabad of Chattogram.

Member of the standing committee on the finance ministry, Mustafizur Rahman Chowdhury, said more development was supposed to have taken place in Bangladesh than now.

But when Awami League was out of power for 21 years, there was no development during that period, he added.

Mustafizur Rahman said the people have to be aware of the manifesto. If they are aware of it, they will be able to ensure the accountability of the public representatives, he said adding the criticism has to be acceptable and proper.

CPD executive director Famida Khatun said political parties make various commitments ahead of the election, they forget these when the election is over.

The country has progressed in the last five decades, she said adding the rate of child and mother mortality has decreased and the education has advanced.

"But there is a question of quality over these developments. Is the development taking place for all? Is education, employment and women empowerment progressing towards the goal? Are the benefits of development being distributed equally? Why are graduates not getting jobs after passing out from university?" Fahmid Khatun asked.

In the dialogue, Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) Chattogram unit president Muhammad Sikandar Khan said quality development is not taking place.

Economic Association Chattogram chapter president professor Joty Prakash Dutta said he never saw the manifesto. This is fraudulence in the name of manifesto, he added.

Joti Prakash also said the education in Chattogram is in a dire state. People have increased but the number of hospitals has not increased, he pointed out asking, what are these developments?

CPD joint director Avra Bhattacharjee presented a paper on the income, labour market, education rate, overseas employment and development projects.