Ruling Awami League on Thursday termed the proposed national budget realistic and pro-people one.
Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali placed the Tk 797,000 crore budget for the fiscal year 2024-2025 in parliament.
Emerging from parliament, AL general secretary Obaidul Quader told reporters that a people-friendly
budget was proposed at the time of global crisis. “This budget has been prepared taking into consideration the promises and priority sectors mentioned in the party’s election manifesto. It has also special focus on controlling commodity prices. This budget is a realistic one,” he said in an immediate budget reaction at the Parliament Secretariat.
Amid the sky rocketing prices of essentials, dollar crisis and fall of reserves, the AL led government placed the first budget of its new term with a size of Tk 797,000 crore.
The finance minister withdrew levy and VAT in many sectors and imposed new taxes to generate the revenue.
The International Monetary Fund has long been suggesting the government to take initiatives to increase the revenue.
When the attention of the AL general secretary was drawn over the IMF’s prescription, he replied in the negative.
“The budget has not been prepared following any suggestions of any quarter. The government of Sheikh Hasina does not run following any prescription of any quarter,” he said.
Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said that the budget put priority on arresting prices of essential commodities, creating employment and ensuring social safety net programmes.
After all, it is a realistic budget, he said.
Amid the global volatile condition and adversities, the finance minister is eying a 6.75 percent GDP growth while containing the inflation at 6.50 percent although the general point to point inflation is still hovering slightly below the double digit mark albeit various efforts from the government to tame inflation.
