Manifesto Is a Political Commitment, Not a Formal Declaration: Badiul Alam Majumdar

A political party’s election manifesto is not merely a formal declaration but a binding political commitment that must be implemented if the party comes to power, said Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SUJAN).

He warned that if political parties fail to fulfill their manifesto pledges, citizens will move to the courts this time.

Dr. Majumdar made the remarks at a press conference titled “What Kind of Manifesto Do the Parties Have?” held at the National Press Club on Monday. Other leaders of SUJAN were also present at the event.

He said that almost all political parties have filled their manifestos with attractive promises, incorporating everything that people want to hear. “Some manifestos even mention a 5 percent quota for women’s representation. Yet in reality, one party did not nominate a single woman candidate, while another nominated less than 5 percent. This clearly shows that they violated their manifestos from the very beginning,” he added.

Dr. Majumdar further stated that SUJAN will closely monitor how far political parties implement their manifestos after coming to power. Evaluations will be conducted every 60 to 100 days, and the public will be informed about what the government has fulfilled and what it has failed to implement.

At the press conference, he also urged political parties to clearly state their positions on “Yes” and “No” votes. “The people have the right to know who stands on which side. Making promises alone is not enough; parties must also explain where the funding for implementation will come from,” he said.

SUJAN informed the press that although BNP and Jamaat are leading two separate alliances, neither has yet announced a joint or alliance-based manifesto. The organization also presented political parties’ positions on the July Charter and the referendum.

According to SUJAN’s observations, BNP has not committed to fully implementing all aspects of the July Charter, while Jamaat, NCP, and other parties have pledged complete implementation. On the issue of a referendum, BNP’s position appears relatively weak, whereas Jamaat and NCP have taken a strong stance in favor of a “Yes” vote. The Jatiya Party, meanwhile, has openly declared its support for a “No” vote.

Regardless of which party comes to power, SUJAN demanded the guaranteed implementation of fundamental democratic principles.