Dhaka: Experts today urged the government to substantially increase the budgetary allocation for children in the fiscal year 2025-26 and suggested proper monitoring at the expenditure level for the upliftment of the children. This call was made at a session on child friendly budget discussion during a day-long event “People-Centered Budget Thinking” held at the capital’s CIRDAP auditorium, organized by Nagorik Bikash O Kalyan (Nabik).
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, with Professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, Dean of the Faculty of Science at Stamford University, in the chair, a concept paper was presented by Zafar Sadiq, an adviser of Save the Children in Bangladesh. They emphasized that merely allocating funds on paper is not enough; effective implementation and proper monitoring are essential for a truly child-friendly budget.
Zafar Sadiq advocated for at least 20 percent of the national budget to be allocated for children, emphasizing the need for expenditure on education, healthcare, and child protection. He also highlighted the importance of presenting this allocation separately and ensuring mechanisms for its oversight and execution.
Former BNP lawmaker Abul Kalam Azad commented on the lack of transparency in budget practices, noting that the insufficient allocation for children hinders their development, which in turn affects the nation’s future. Economist Dr. Omar Faruq pointed to research indicating that 92 percent of school-going children are exposed to pornography and highlighted the dire shortage of daycare centers in Dhaka, with only around 100 centers, which he described as grossly inadequate.
Child organizer Zakaria Habib Pilot criticized the lack of public participation in the parliamentary budgeting process, arguing that without incorporating children’s needs in the national budget, equitable and balanced future allocations would be impossible. Entrepreneurs Shamim Ashraf and Tahmina Rahman Sathi demanded that priority be given to children’s mental development and digital safety in the budget.