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Tasnim Jara, an independent candidate of Dhaka-9 seat, on Saturday unveiled her election manifesto, pledging to stop billing residents for undelivered gas and ensure local issues are tracked through a transparent digital dashboard.
In a post on her verified Facebook page, the former National Citizens Party leader accused authorities of charging for gas while residents receive air instead of fuel, calling it a ‘betrayal with people’.
She promised that, if elected, her first parliamentary initiative would be a draft law enforcing the ‘no service, no bill’ principle, making it illegal for suppliers to charge if gas delivery fails, and allowing monthly bills to be waived in such cases.
Highlighting exploitation by unscrupulous LPG traders, Jara vowed to break price-fixing syndicates and compel authorities to ensure affordable cylinder supply, while pressing administrators to punish any violations.
She criticised Dhaka-9 residents’ unequal access to public services despite paying taxes comparable to affluent areas like Gulshan and Banani. “Leaders visit only during elections and then disappear. The state sees us merely as revenue sources.”
On urban infrastructure, Jara pledged to modernise drainage systems, clear canals before monsoon and enforce strict deadlines on roadwork, imposing fines for contractor delays.
Citing critical healthcare gaps in the constituency, Jara highlighted overcrowding at Mugda Medical College Hospital and annual dengue risks.
She assured continuous coordination with the Health Ministry for adequate staffing, modern equipment, and accountability, while upgrading community clinics to mini-hospitals and deploying mosquito control squads. Special focus will also be given to maternal healthcare and women-friendly facilities.
On public safety, she proposed installing CCTV and high-power streetlights in crime-prone areas such as Khilgaon-Bashabo, promising safe corridors for schools, colleges, and workplaces, alongside an anti-drug campaign with treatment support for addicts.
Jara also committed to ending corrupt school admissions, establishing modern labs, language clubs, and coding facilities, as well as libraries to foster child development.
She announced a ‘Start-Up Dhaka-9’ fund to support youth entrepreneurship and day-care centers to empower working mothers, along with e-commerce training and legal protections for informal workers.
Jara emphasised accessibility, promising a permanent Dhaka-9 constituency office within a month of her election, staffed to provide services even after office hours, and introducing an open digital dashboard so residents can track their complaints in real time.
Addressing voters directly, Jara said, “I am not a professional politician. After the July popular uprising, a transparent political opportunity arose, and I joined to build the country. This manifesto is a commitment, not empty promises.”
She urged voters to support a ‘doctor who knows problems and solutions, keeps promises, and stands by people in crisis’, emphasising her professional and accountable approach.