- By Soumyaroop Mukherjee
- Sat, 07 Feb 2026 06:49 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) unveiled its election manifesto on Friday for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled to take place in mid-February. The manifesto focused on three major areas: electoral reforms and government accountability, tougher foreign policy on cross-border security and a robust framework on river-water sharing. These areas have been Dhaka's international diplomacy and policy framework with India.
Although BNP did not mention India explicitly in its manifesto, the party's new "Bangladesh Before All" doctrine has made it clear that if voted to power, Dhaka will adopt a more assertive approach to frontier management and river diplomacy. In line with this doctrine, the party framed its foreign policy around the idea of equality and self-dignity under the rallying cry of "Friend Yes, Master No".
The manifesto resonated with ideas of former president Ziaur Rahman's 19-point programme, former prime minister Khaleda Zia's Vision-2030, and current party Chairman Tarique Rahman's 31-point agenda. "This manifesto is not merely an electoral pledge; it is a declaration of a new social and state contract with the citizens of Bangladesh," said BNP chairman Tarique Rehman, who returned to Bangladesh in December last year after almost 20 years of exile.
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Bangladesh Elections 2026: BNP Manifesto Details
In its manifesto, the BNP aims to strengthen public oversight of the government and also promises to resolve the issues related to cross-border activities. The manifesto vows to take a 'strict' action against the "border killings, push-in, and smuggling" along the 4,000-km-long Indo-Bangladesh border.
Another major area of contention that the BNP promised to resolve is the river-sharing agreement with India. India and Bangladesh had signed the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty (GWT) in 1996 for 30 years, which expires in December 2026. India is seeking a shorter, more flexible treaty to cater for the irrigation needs of West Bengal, while Dhaka is pushing for a minimum guaranteed flow clause, which was missing in the 1996 accord.
The party has also promised to secure a 'fair share' for Bangladesh from common rivers like the Teesta and the Padma. The party has promised a 'Teesta Master Plan' and to build a barrage on the river to strengthen the Joint River Commission (JRC), which is responsible for managing shared water.
The party also pledged to work on family and farmers card, corruption-free healthcare system, developing a skill-based education system, job creation for youths, technical and language skill development, environment protection and climate resilience.
Bangladesh Elections 2026 Date
The Bangladesh parliamentary elections will take place on February 12, 2026, with citizens allowed to vote from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. The results will be announced on February 13 post the counting of the votes is completed.