With
a view to accommodating
concern of the people
in the election manifestos
of political parties and
preparing agenda for action
for the new government
after the coming election,
a three-day "National
Level Forum on Election
2001" begins in the city
today.
President
Shahabuddin Ahmed is expected
to inaugurate the policy
dialogue at Osmani Memorial
Hall at 3:00 pm.
The
Centre for Policy Dialogue
(CPD), The Daily Star
and the Prothom Alo, jointly
held a press briefing
yesterday on the policy
dialogue being organised
by them. CPD Executive
Director Dr Debapriya
Bhattacharya briefed the
press. Editor of The Daily
Star Mahfuz Anam and Editor
of the Prothom Alo Matiur
Rahman were present.
Reports
prepared by 16 Task Forces
formed by CPD earlier
will be presented at the
three-day forum.
The
CPD Executive Director
said the move is aimed
at preparing agendas for
action for the new government.
It is divided into four
phases identifying the
issues, preparing reports,
finalising the reports
and publicity.
The
first two phases have
already been completed
and the third phase begins
tomorrow (Monday), he
said.
In
the first phase, 16 issues
were identified and Task
Forces were formed. Some
150 experts contributed
in drafting the taskforce
reports by June this year.
"Since
then, CPD in association
with the two leading newspapers
held seven regional conferences
in different cities in
a bid to refine the draft
reports by incorporating
the views of the stakeholders,"
Dr Bhattacharya said.
The
reports will be finalised
following the third phase
which begins with the
three-day discussion from
today. Then these will
be placed before the political
parties and discussion
meetings will be arranged
for accommodating the
suggestions in their manifestos.
"We
will also try to have
our proposals incorporated
in the voter education
programmes and go for
a publicity campaign.
These will include discussion
with the political parities
as well," he said.
He
noted that through the
suggestions, the civil
society will play a new
role other than just holding
seminars and dialogues.
"The
reports will contain concrete
suggestions regarding
expectations of the common
man as well as of the
civil society," Dr Bhattacharya
said.
CPD
Research Director Prof.
Mustafizur Rahman said
the process of reforms
began in the country in
the 1990s but not so effectively.
The
reform proposals were
mainly donor-driven and
there was always a question
of ownership of the development
agendas, he said.
"But
now we will have ownership
of the development agendas
and also give it an institutional
shape," Prof Rahman noted.
