Budget to revitalize economy, livelihood of poor in pandemic: MPs

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SANGSAD BHABAN, June 15, 2021 (BSS) – Lawmakers today said the proposed budget will help revitalize the economy of the country and the livelihood of the poor people amid the catastrophe of the coronavirus pandemic.

Taking part in the general discussion on the proposed budget for 2021-22 fiscal in the Jatiya Sangsad, they said the proposed budget in the Mujib Borsho will ensure welfare of the poor people and strengthen the economy of the country.

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 coronavirus pandemic.

Referring to the economy of the country, ruling party whip Atiur Rahman Atique said, “Once the country was one among 10 poorest countries in the world, but now Bangladesh is 41st economy in the world under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”

About proposed budget, he said the government has presented the industry friendly budget as the budget has been presented to face the COVID-19 pandemic and also to recover the post corona economy of the country.

Terming the proposed budget as realistic and pro-people, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said the budget for FY 2021-22 has been proposed considering employment of the people and tackling the corona pandemic.

“The proposed budget will help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) by 2028 instead of 2030,” he added.

Regarding the economy of the country, the commerce minister said, “The economy of Pakistan was almost 70 percent better compared to our’s, but now Bangladesh’s progress is 45 percent more than Pakistan. Even Pakistan is lagging behind in all development index compared to Bangladesh.”

Criticizing the proposed budget on corona vaccination, Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujibul Huq the government’s plan on immunization in the proposed budget will take at least ten years to complete vaccination of 80 percent people throughout the country.

Sharply criticizing the government’s immunization plan in the proposed budget, BNP lawmaker Rumeen Farhana said the government has a plan to vaccinate 25 lakh people in a month, but it will take more than eight years to bring 80 percent people under corona immunization.

Participating in the general discussion on proposed budget, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) lawmaker Hasanul Haque Inu said the proposed budget has exempted tax on local industrialization for promoting industrialization as a whole. But 15 percent tax imposed on the private sector university will create negative impact on the development of education, he added.

Treasury bench member , Meher Afroz of Gazipur-5, Shahiduzzaman of Meherpur-2, Shahidul Islam Bakul of Natore-1, Ebadul Karim of Brahmanbaria-5, Sultana Nadira of Women seat-15, BNP lawmakers Golam Mohammad Siraj of Bogura-6 and Jatiya Party lawmaker Ahsan Adelur Rahman, took part in the discussion.

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.