Ladki Bahin, Ayushman Bharat in Bangladesh? Manifestos echo India schemes
India Today
The Bangladesh elections have seen heavy emphasis on freebies and social schemes in party manifestos, many of which closely resemble India's long-running welfare programmes. In this article, we will outline how the poll promises of the BNP and Jamaat match our own desi yojanas.
Freebies and women-centric schemes have long powered election victories in India. And now, Bangladeshi political parties seem to have borrowed from India's welfare politics playbook. Promises of cash transfers to women, affordable housing, and universal healthcare feature high in the election manifestos of the two major Bangladesh parties -- Tarique Rahman's BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami. These closely resemble schemes such as Ayushman Bharat and the Ladki Bahin Yojana that have paid electoral dividends in India. These now seem to be the weapon of choice for Bangladeshi parties as the country heads for its most consequential election in 18 months.
The February 12 elections precede one of the most turbulent periods in Bangladesh, which has been wrecked by unrest following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. Thus, for the BNP and the Jamaat, the stakes are high. While both have historically had rocky ties with Delhi, they seem to have now taken a leaf from India's electoral playbook.
An analysis by India Today has found that at least six schemes similar to those implemented in India feature prominently in Bangladesh poll manifestos. Stay with us, and we will outline how they match our own desi yojanas.
In fact, not only election promises, but the Jamaat also seems to have used images from India in its 'People's Manifesto' document. These feature images uploaded by a Kolkata-based photographer as well as photos from a 2017 Uttar Pradesh government report on child labour.
Among the promises that feature highly in Jamaat's manifesto are a universal healthcare system and phased free advanced treatment for the poor.
It closely mirrors India's flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme, which provides a health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year in both public and empanelled private hospitals. The scheme essentially targets the bottom 40% of India's population, covering nearly 55 crore people.
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