The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has unveiled key commitments in its election manifesto focusing on arts, culture, and public morality, promising sweeping reforms to strengthen national identity and restore social values.
Under the Arts and Culture section, BNP pledged to discourage “anti-national cultural practices” and remove barriers to democratic cultural expression.
The party emphasised that independent thought and ideology should be reflected through cultural activities, with democratic methods guiding the process.
BNP also announced plans to create facilities for “healthy culture and entertainment” within educational institutions, aiming to foster a constructive environment for young people.
In addition, the manifesto promises to expand recognition for contributions to national culture, noting that prestigious awards such as the Independence Award and Ekushey Padak were first introduced under BNP’s initiative.
In the section on Restoring Morality and Virtue in Public Life, the party expressed concern over what it described as a “terrible decline in moral values” in Bangladesh, linking this erosion to instability and social unrest.
BNP committed to reforms in the education curriculum, promotion of correct religious values, and positive social movements to counter the trend.
Teachers, described as “architects of students and human beings,” would be empowered to instil tolerance, justice, inclusivity, and equality in society.
The manifesto also highlighted the growing problem of teenage gangs, which BNP said have become a major security threat. To address this, the party vowed collective action involving families, communities, and the state to suppress the menace.
BNP’s cultural and moral agenda reflects its broader vision of building a “humane, tolerant, just, inclusive, and equality-based society,” positioning these reforms as central to its electoral promises.