Lawmakers term proposed budget ‘realistic, pro-people’

Terming the proposed national budget as realistic and pro-people, the treasury, opposition benches, and independent lawmakers today said this budget would help remove the ongoing economic uncertainty and crisis, apart from containing inflation.

Taking part in the general discussion on the proposed national budget for 2024-25 fiscal at the Jatiya Sangsad here, the lawmakers said the budget will gradually bring the country’s economy back to the path of dynamic economic growth that existed before the Corona pandemic and the ongoing wars in the world.

The budget will contain inflation within 6.5 percent in the next fiscal year (FY25) with the help of the policies and strategies adopted by the government, they hoped.

The lawmakers said that the government successfully managed the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the economy.

However, the geopolitical instability of the world has created fresh risks for Bangladesh.

They also said that the budget was placed with a prime focus on maintaining economic stability and augmenting steps to materialise the government’s “Smart Bangladesh” vision.

Earlier, on June 6, Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali placed the Tk. 7,97,000 crore national budget for the next fiscal year (FY25) at Jatiya Sangsad (JS) amid the growing challenges of containing inflation, maintaining a sound foreign currency reserve, maintaining a stable exchange rate, and generating more revenues.

He placed the country’s 53rd budget and the 25th of the Awami League (AL) government in six terms. This budget is also the 21st under the rule of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in different terms.

Treasury bench members SM Kamal Hossain, Naimuzzaman Bhuiyan, Habibun Nahar, Md Towhiduzzaman, Abu Zahir, Ashrafun Nesa, Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, Mahbubur Rahman, Kazi Keramat Ali, Md Mostafa Kamal, Nilufar Anjum Popy, HM Ibrahim, Abul Kalam Azad, Nadira Binte Amin, Noor Mohammad, and independent member Hamidul Haque Khandkar took part in the general discussion on the proposed national budget.

Earlier, they paid their cordial tribute to the memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders, martyred freedom fighters, and also those who made their utmost sacrifices during the War of Liberation and all subsequent democratic movements in the country. (BSS)