[ALOCHONA] Tale of two election manifestos:

Tale of two election manifestos: Promises, promises ……… and more promises   by Amanat Ullah Khan   I am considering whether I would I be doing justice to our readers if I happened to write on the election manifestoes of our two major political parties.     Do the manifestoes even mean anything to the parties or the people involved? Just take a look at the images they tried to project!    AL, the party of `whiz kids' and `infocrats', (obviously only described by the party members themselves), has apparently been projecting a vision for the year 2021! Rather unfortunately though, if they cared to check they will realise that this is a slightly less `normal' than what is considered a `normal' 20/20 vision. Or is the slip there an apparent choice? Actually who knows if they will even be there in the year 202. And I guess there, therefore, seems to be little to no reason for projecting a perfect vision.    The Bangla title of the manifesto is everywhere in the media, asking one to ''`bonus talk'y prophetic the PR people are in some companies? Come January, they will claim to be `linked'version title seems even more lofty (crafty?)! It reminds one of the great 'Change we can' euphoria of last November that jolted the distant Atlantic shores. And who knows, come January both the programmes may be launched simultaneously – one in each hemisphere!    In the content you have achievements (we created Bangladesh and everything that is there..), accusations (the villains are BNP combine plus the invisible government, ..every other party is rotten ..created in the cantonments .. but apparently some ''also useful ''promises ( secure supply of food, milk, honey, 20000 mega watt electricity, and the new division for Rangpur (to keep the Rangbaj of Rangpur under control!) and finally work programmes (remove corruption, eliminate poverty, establish good government etc. etc..).    So, when the 'work programmes'and the `promises'Bangladesh look like?    You will have a lot of senior citizens (with average longevity 70 years) living in unplanned neighborhoods (with no urban or spatial planning of course) in very brightly lit houses (what would you do with 20,000 mega watt electricity?), with running `safe' hot and cold water, linked to the national sewerage network and playing chess with the computer in their own laptops in the `digital' Bangladesh, to be cared for by imported nannies - as you would not have enough local supply with an (80 percent contraceptive prevalence rate and an unemployment rate of only 15 percent!).    BNP manifesto is a little more slippery, it is more ''like, for me. It seems to have more pages and pledges. Obviously they did not have time to go the `smart alec' way – using those impressive stats and the projections (never mind about sources)! The apparently innocent title `Desh Bachao –Manush Bachao', however, is extremely loaded and far from being innocent. It is a collection of statements trying to respond to all possible groups under the `sheaf of paddy' and their demands. There is apparently everything in it for everybody! Of course the document starts with Bismilla-hir-Rahmanir Rahim!    This one also has the BNP achievements (aposhheen netri brings back democracy every time it is taken away.., rebuilding Bangladesh cover story, the Rapid Action Battalion rattles including the `operation clean heart' story….. ), accusations ( not much though!…pushed back 20 years behind in the last two years – the villain is the invisible government yet again!), promises ( more of the same stuff that you tasted in 2000 to 2006) and the work programmes (listed along with 36 promised goals, spread over the thirty-four pages).    After these 36 odd promises contained in the document are fulfilled, (they do not mention a timeframe – it may take 5 years or 50 years!) what would Bangladesh look like?    You will have Bangladeshi's (age not known) living in peace, with good purchasing power (how much not known), will not need to pay bribe to own an industry or take loan from banks, will have his /her own SPP for electricity and will export from the deep sea port. Our children will study in the famous Asian University for Women or wherever the `panel of experts'mobile phones and will know about `art, culture, and the evolution of human civilization'. Dhaka ladies will have a lot of public toilets while their men companions will continue to do `it' in the open. Only Dhaka and the paurashabha areas will be given safe water. The rest of the areas will have Arsenic free water.    Well as you can see, it is difficult to visualise what Bangladesh would be like once the listed programmes are implemented (may be the BNP smart alec's are aware of the scenario and thus refrain from using the word `vision'). It is difficult to criticise such a programme, which only paints utopian pictures slipping from the grasp of a critical eye with open-ended and loose promises.    Now coming to some other developments:    On major party nominations    Colleagues and friends were dismayed looking at the slate of candidates of both the major parties for the coming elections. Well after all it is just more of the same. What do you expect? It is our election and we are in the election game. Use a mirror to look at you. Have patience, and wait for the t… i… m… e…will have good slates if we allow the process to continue. Once again I reiterate, there should be no suggestions or interruptions, please!    Major Jote partners    It's AL'is the obstacle coming into way of explaining their `strategic' partnership with the `Bishwabehaya'mainstream Awami Leaguers, I know, are conscientious objectors. Beware; some partners may turn out to be blood-sucking leeches!    BNP on the other hand are happily unapologetic about their partner of convenience – the blood-soaked guardian angels of Islam.    Stop Press    I had to bring this up because I thought I launched a campaign against this through my column - interference of foreign diplomats. I am frustrated! If you complain about your opponent to a respected foreign emissary when he makes the usual courtesy call, what could you expect? I have full sympathy for His Excellency's embarrassment. Would others behave differently? I doubt!    Leave our foreign diplomats in peace. Please!   http://www.newagebd.com/2008/dec/19/dec19/xtra_also1.html

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