Dhaka: Adarsha Dhaka Andolon, an electoral platform of pro-Bangladesh Nationalist Party professionals, on Wednesday unveiled a common manifesto for its two mayoral candidates in the elections to Dhaka north and south city corporations, promising to make the two cities livable, safe and clean for all.

Shawkat Mahmud, member secretary of the platform, announced the manifesto at a press conference at National Press Club, Dhaka.

The BNP-backed two mayoral candidates in the two Dhaka cities are contesting the elections under the platform floated recently.  

In the manifesto, the platform focused on 17 issues, including city governance, city plan, city streets and transport management, education and health services, environment protection, accommodation, law and order, human rights, social safety, women’s rights and information technology, for their candidates to deal with if they are elected, to make the city livable, safe and clean.

‘We’ve mentioned 17 issues in our manifesto on which our candidates will focus and deal with if they are elected. This is the manifesto of Adarsha Dhaka Andolon in favour of the two BNP-backed mayoral candidates Mirza Abbas Tabith Awal,’ he said.

Mahumud, however, said the two candidates will also announce their respective manifestos separately.

He urged the voters to elect Mirza Abbas in the Dhaka South City Corporation polls while Tabith in the North to implement their manifesto.   

Addressing the programme, platform convener Professor Emajuddin Ahmed said the Election Commission’s current activities are not satisfactory to hold a free and fair election.  

He said they had been at the commission earlier and urged it to take steps so that all the candidates can reach out their all voters through campaign, rallies and processions, and voters can independently cast their ballots for the candidates of their choice. ‘But, they (EC) didn’t take satisfactory steps to this end.’

Emajuddin said they want the commission to deploy members of the armed forces with adequate power to deal with offenders and criminals at least seven days before the elections.

Asked whether the 20-party’s transport blockade that was enforced on 5 January is still effective, he said he is not clear whether the programme is on or off, but there is no effect of the programme in two Dhaka cities and Chittagong city due to the electioneering.