AL implemented over 87pc of its budgets: lawmakers

Treasury bench lawmakers today said BNP had implemented 70 percent of its budgets while the ruling Awami League implemented over 87 percent during their fifteen years tenure. Taking part in the general discussion on the national budget for 2024-25 fiscal at the Jatiya Sangsad here, the lawmakers said BNP had implemented only 70 percent of its budgets while the ruling Awami League has implemented over 87 percent of its budgets during their last fifteen years tenure. Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on June 6 unveiled a Taka 7,97,000 crore national budget for 2024-25 fiscal setting the GDP growth target at 6.8 percent amid an economic meltdown across the world due to ongoing Ukraine-Russia war and Hamas-Israel-Palestine conflict. "After coming to power in 2001, BNP gave Taka 44,854 crore in 2002 and their last budget was Taka 61,000 crore as BNP increased only Taka 4,000 crore every year during their five years tenure", said Whip Saimum Sarwar Kamal of Cox's Bazar-3. On the other hand, the ruling A wami League started with its budget outlay with Taka 4,00,266 crore, it was Taka4,64,573crore in FY2018-19, Taka 7,61,784crore in FY 2023-24 and Taka 7,97,000 crore in FY 2024-25 fiscal as the budget has been increased by Taka70,000 crore yearly in the last five years, said the Whip. Budget implementation rate during the BNP's five years was only 70 percent while it was over 87 percent during the last five years by the ruling Awami League, he told parliament. "Bangabandhu led the struggle of independence while his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is marching the country ahead for building a smart Bangladesh", said Amir Hossain Amu of Jhalokati-2. Criticizing the proposed budget, Jatiya Party lawmaker Masud Uddin Chowdhury of Feni-3 said the provision of whitening money by giving 15 percent tax would discourage the genuine tax payers. Terming the proposed as land mark, Zahid Ahsan Russel of Gazipur-2 said, "The proposed budget has emphasized on curbing the price hike of the essentials for the greater benefit of the cross section people." Participating in the discussion, Independent lawmaker Abdul Kader Azad of Faridpur-3 said "The real tax payers is giving upto 30 percent tax why the black money owner give only 15 percent tax to make their money legal". Treasury bench members, M Sohrab Uddin of Kishorganj-2, Meher Afroz Chumki of Women seat-39, Joya Sen Gupta of Sunamganj-2, Independent candidate M SiddiqulAlam of Nilphamari-4, and Jatiya Party lawmaker AKM Mustafizur Rahman of Kurigram-1 took part in the discussion. Earlier, they paid their cordial 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. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha