SANGSAD BHABAN, June 20, 2024 (BSS) – Lawmakers today said the proposed budget has focused on the livelihood development of the people as the budget has been increased by more than eleven folds in the last fifteen years.

Taking part in the general discussion on the national budget for 2024-25 fiscal at the Jatiya Sangsad here, the lawmakers said the proposed budget would help to maintain country’s previous development and prosperity and also make easier the livelihood of the common people.

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.

 “The national budget has been proposed to make country’s previous development and prosperity uninterrupted and making the livelihood easier of the common people”, said Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Faruk Khan.

The size of proposed budget has been increased by eleven and half folds in the last fifteen years, said the minister, saying, “Our per capita income was US$543 in 2005 and now it raised to US$2784 by increasing it five folds”.

The allocation for the peoples welfare has already been increased in the proposed budget by twelve folds in the last sixteen years since 2008, said Social Welfare Minister Dr Dipu Moni.

The allocation under the safety net programmes was only Taka 1,013 crore in 2008 while it has now been raised to over Taka 12,000 crore, she added.

"The proposed 53rd budget titled "March Towards Smart Bangladesh Following the Path of Sustainable Development" which is only 4.6 percent bigger than that of the current fiscal year, would help to build a smart Bangladesh while the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war and Hamas-Israel-Palestine conflict have created an emerging challenge for the economy", said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan in his address in the general budget discussion.

Terming the proposed as land mark, land minister Narayan Chandra Chanda said, “ The proposed budget is very much important for our micro-economy as the budget has preferred on containing inflation, employment generation and development of blue economy.”

Participating in the discussion, Sayeed Khokon MP of Dhaka-6 said the proposed budget will help to get relief in the income of the middle class people due to tax free provision incorporated in the proposed budget.

Treasury bench members, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Abdul Aziz of Sirajganj-3, AKM Enamul Huq Shamim of Shariatpur-2, Pankaj Nath of Barishal-4, AK Abdul Momen of Sylhet-1, Shahida Tareque Dipti of Women seat- 127, Zillur Rahman of Moulvi Bazar-3, Sajjadul Hasan of Netrokona-4, Tahmina Begum of Madaripur -3, Rafiqul Islam of ???????-5, Shajahan Khan of Madaripur -2, Abu Zafar Mohammad Shafi Uddin of Comilla-8 , Kohale Quddus  of  Reserved Womens seat -4, Abdullah-Al-Kaisar of Narayanganj-3 Tanvir Shakil Joy of Sirajganj-1 and Shafiul Alam Chowdhury of Moulvibazar-2 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.