Calls For Unity Based Politics: Jamaat unveils vision for ‘New, prosperous Bangladesh’
Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Tuesday unveiled what it described as a comprehensive policy framework for building a “new and prosperous Bangladesh,” placing democratic transition, economic stability, transparency and human dignity at the centre of its political vision ahead of the February 12 parliamentary elections.
The roadmap was presented at the party’s “Policy Summit 2026,” held at a Dhaka hotel, where Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman outlined a future strategy focused on employment generation, youth empowerment, women’s participation and long-term structural reforms.
If voted to power, Jamaat plans to create five million jobs for young people over the next five years, bring 10 million youths under market-oriented skills development programmes, develop 500,000 new entrepreneurs and support the emergence of 1.5 million freelancers, party policymakers said.
Addressing the summit as chief guest, Dr Shafiqur Rahman said Bangladesh is passing through a sensitive phase of democratic transition after years of authoritarian governance, arguing that the upcoming election is not merely a political contest but a defining moment for shaping a new system of governance for a country of more than 180 million people.
“The biggest challenge before us today is not survival, but stability,” he said.
He pointed to growing anxieties among educated youths struggling to find jobs aligned with their qualifications, women facing persistent structural barriers, and millions of working people who, despite daily labour, remain only one crisis away from poverty.
Calling for an “honest confrontation” with these realities, the Jamaat chief argued that economic growth alone cannot be the sole benchmark of national success.
“Economic achievement must mean a life where people can plan their future with confidence, support their families with dignity and participate meaningfully in society,” he said.
He also stressed that future politics must be rooted in unity rather than division.
“The Bangladesh of the future will be a discrimination-free, transparent and humane state, where hope, healing and unity — not polarisation — will form the foundation of politics,” he said.
Dr Shafiqur Rahman said Jamaat envisions a state where a modern market economy operates alongside transparent and accountable institutions, ensuring equal opportunities for all citizens regardless of religion, gender or background.
“Development becomes sustainable only when it is founded on justice, transparency and moral values,” he added.
He vowed an uncompromising stance to prevent any future government from using state resources or economic systems for personal or partisan gain, warning that corruption, plunder and nepotism weaken the state from within and make genuine development impossible without international-standard transparency.
Jobs, economy and remittances
Highlighting the role of expatriate workers, he said remittances not only sustain families but also stabilise the economy and integrate Bangladesh into the global labour market. Their contribution, he added, goes beyond money.
“They bring skills, experience and global exposure, and many are eager to play a greater role in national development.”
Referring to Bangladeshi professionals working abroad — including academics, doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs — he said many lead institutions worldwide and are willing to support institutional development, mentor young people and assist reforms at home, describing this as a form of “intellectual remittance.”
On economic policy, Dr Shafiqur Rahman stressed the need for a conceptual shift, saying employment must be treated not as a by-product of investment but as a state priority.
He also called for gradually bringing informal labour under formal frameworks and strengthening partnerships between the state and citizens, the public and private sectors, and Bangladesh and the international community.
According to the policy outline, Jamaat plans to enforce zero tolerance for corruption, gradually reduce tax and VAT to long-term targets of 19 percent and 10 percent respectively, introduce a “smart social security card” combining NID, TIN and social services, and freeze increases in gas, electricity and water charges for industries for the first three years.
The party also proposes reopening closed factories under public-private partnerships with 10 percent ownership allocated to workers, simplifying business licensing, offering interest-free loans to small and medium farmers, and adopting more business-friendly policies.
Education, health and youth
In education, Jamaat proposes interest-free support programmes, including monthly assistance of up to Tk10,000 for 500,000 graduates for up to two years until employment, merit- and need-based loans for 100,000 students annually, and funding opportunities for top students to study at leading global universities.
The party also plans to establish what it described as the world’s largest women’s university by merging Eden, Badrunnesa and Home Economics colleges, upgrade major National University colleges into full universities, and ensure all recruitment is merit-based.
On healthcare, Jamaat promises free services for citizens over 60 and children under five, the establishment of 64 specialised hospitals in all districts, and the introduction of a “First Thousand Days Programme” to bring maternal and early childhood health and nutrition under social security protection.
For young people, Jamaat proposes forming a new ministry for skilled manpower and job placement, setting up youth tech labs in every upazila, creating district-level “youth job banks,” and ensuring access to five million jobs within five years, prioritising women, youth and marginalised communities.
ICT vision and women’s participation
The party also announced an “ICT Vision 2040,” targeting two million ICT jobs by 2030, establishing a national payment gateway for freelancers, earning $5 billion in ICT exports, and transitioning from a labour-dependent to a knowledge-based economy.
Dr Shafiqur Rahman placed special emphasis on women’s participation, calling it both a matter of justice and economic necessity. “No country can achieve sustainable prosperity while keeping half of its population outside full participation,” he said.
Organisers said representatives from around 30 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, India and Pakistan, attended the summit, alongside diplomats, academics, business leaders and policy experts.
The policy event comes as political parties intensify preparations for the February 12 election, widely seen as pivotal for Bangladesh’s post-authoritarian political trajectory.