Ahead of the elections that will take place on January 7, 2024, the ruling party of Bangladesh, Awami League has released a comprehensive 108-page election manifesto that reinforces the party’s commitment to strengthen ties with India and expand cooperation on multiple fronts.
Details of Manifesto
The election manifesto unveiled by Shiekh Hasina outlines the continuation of policies to cooperate with India in areas like cross-border connectivity, transit, energy partnerships, and equitable water sharing. The manifesto explicitly states “The government will continue bilateral trade and security cooperation with India reflecting the positive engagement between Bangladesh and India in recent years. Joint projects like the oil pipeline and India’s use of Bangladesh ports underscores the collaborative efforts between the two nations.
Key Features
Notably, the document goes beyond the regional partnership, expressing a commitment to open new avenues of cooperation with Nepal, Bhutan, and India for hydropower generation and joint management of common river basins. Key foreign policy achievements like the demarcation of land boundaries and enclaves are highlighted as cornerstones of the government’s successful tenures.
It said this has helped in encouraging continued multilateral cooperation and friendly relations with India. The manifesto recognizes the settlements of maritime boundaries with Myanmar and India as significant accomplishments, unlocking the immense potential of the Blue Economy.
Manifesto Achievements
Among the manifesto’s achievements, the ruling party proudly highlights Bangladesh’s active participation in ten global peacekeeping missions deploying over 7000 peacekeepers. The manifesto positions this manifestation of Bangladesh’s contribution to international peace and security. The document also underscores the publication of the Indo-Pacific framework in April 2023 aimed at promoting open, peaceful, secure, inclusive, equitable prosperity for all.”
Ties with Global Powers
In a global context, the Awami League aims to build a strong friendship with Russia to expand the energy sector. Regarding ties with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the manifesto declares Dhaka’s willingness to strengthen relations in terms of development financing, The party envisions strengthening relations with ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) along with Australia and Pacific nations.
It reaffirms the commitment to “strengthening and diversifying development cooperation with the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), the European Union (EU), Japan and Canada. The document reiterates the government’s determination to prevent the rise of militant, international terrorists, and separatist groups within its territory.
