Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia demands for a fresh election; Government revises the GDP growth target; six priority projects for government; EU has no plan to cancel the GSP facility for Bangladesh; Bangladesh Nationalist Party
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    • According to reports, terming the present government illegal and isolated, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia demanded a fresh election under a neutral administration as soon as possible at a gathering on January 21. The gathering was to take place under the banner of the BNP-led 18-party alliance, but the BNP finally held it alone leaving out its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami in the face of strong criticism at home and abroad for its ties with the Islamist party that was involved in recent political violence. BNP policymakers also requested its alliance partners Khelafat Majlish, Islami Oikya Jote and Jamiate Olamaye Islam, all three Islamist parties not to attend the rally, according to party insiders. However, top leaders of Liberal Democratic Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Jatiya Gonotantrik Party, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Bangladesh NAP and Bangladesh Labour Party, among other allies, were present.1

    In another development, according to reports, the new governments in Bangladesh will fast-track six projects, including the Padma Bridge, a deep-sea port and the metro rail, to be implemented at a cost of $15.5 billion. The other three projects are 1,320-megawatt Rampal Power Plant, 1,000MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, and the LNG Terminal Project for importing liquid gas. The decision came at the first meeting of the Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office on January 22, 2014. The committee reviewed the implementation status of the six projects. 2

    Reports noted that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has formed four probe committees to investigate the recent attacks on Hindus, countrywide violence, extrajudicial killing, human rights violation by law enforcers and oppression on 18-party alliance men. BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir formed the committees. Party sources said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia approved the committees after a meeting with Bangladesh Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad at her Gulshan office on January 22. 3

    The government plans to revise down the GDP growth outlook by around 1 percentage point, as it thinks the previous target at 7.2 percent was 'ambitious' amid political volatility. The new GDP growth target would be 6.3 percent. 4

    In other developments, according to reports, the European Union has no plan to cancel the GSP facility for Bangladesh at the moment. Currently, Bangladesh benefits from the most favourable trade condition under the Generalised System of Preferences, as no tariff is imposed on the country's products entering the 28-nation bloc, EU Ambassador in Dhaka William Hanna said. His comment comes amid news reports that the EU might reconsider the GSP benefit for Bangladesh following the January 5 election boycotted by the BNP. 5

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