SANGSAD BHABAN, June 14, 2021 (BSS) – Lawmakers today said the proposed budget preferring the life and livelihood of the people would help promote Bangladesh brand and create employment through industrialization.
Taking part in the general discussion for the fifth consecutive day on the proposed budget for 2021-22 fiscal in the Jatiya Sangsad, they said it will create huge employment, cut poverty and build a digitalized one by 2041.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on June 3 in the Jatiya Sangsad unveiled a Taka 6,03,681 crore national budget for 2021-22 fiscal setting the GDP growth target at 7.2 percent amid the economic fallout due to the novel corona virus pandemic.
Referring to creating employment in the proposed budget, State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the proposed budget will help generate employment for people through public-private partnership in the ICT sector.
In the proposed budget, he said the government has proposed tax exemption for companies that are engaged in the production of automated vehicles as part of supporting ‘Made in Bangladesh’ brands.
In addition, treasury bench lawmaker Waseqa Ayesha Khan said the government proposed to exempt tax for 10 years for the companies engaged in the production of certain home and kitchen appliances and light engineering products.
Criticizing the proposed budget, Jatiya Party lawmaker Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary said the government has earmarked Taka 71, 951 crore for education sector, but it is only Taka 75 crore for private education sector.
Even the government has imposed 15 percent tax on the private sector universities, said the opposition lawmaker.
Treasury bench members and Awami League lawmakers Faruque Khan of Gopalganj-1, Narayan Chandra Chanda of Khulna-5, Shajahan Khan of Madaripur-2, Umme Kulsum Smriti of Gaibandha-3 and Tahmina Begum, Workers Party Lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon of Dhaka-8, Jatiya Party Lawmaker Salma Islam of Dhaka-1 and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal lawmaker Shirin Akhter of Feni-1, took part in the discussion.
Earlier, they paid glowing tributes 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.