SANGSAD BHABAN, June 22, 2024 (BSS) - Lawmakers today said the proposed budget has given importance on curbing inflation with a target to stable the economy of the country.

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 has given significant allocation under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) which would help to curb inflation and commodity price also with a target to bring stability in the economy of the country.

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 proposed budget will help to curb inflation at 6.5 percent as the proposed budget has imposed one percent duty instead of two at the source on imported goods which would help to bring the rising inflation rate under control", said Housing and Public Works Minister RAM Obaidul Muktadir.

Sharply criticizing the two military regimes after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the housing minister said the military regime led by General Zia and General Ershad had drastically hampered the economic development of the country.

In 1975, country's per capita income stood US$260 while it has declined to US$190 during the regime of Ziaur Rahman in 1979, said the minister who also a lawmaker Brahmanbaria-3.

"The proposed national budget has been placed in line with our electoral manifesto where a total of eleven issues including controlling price of the essentials have been focused", said Agriculture Minister Abdus Shahid in his budget speech.

Welcoming the proposed budget, Zahid Maleque, MP, of Manikganj-3 said the proposed budget is pro-people oriented as the government has reduced tax on thirty items which would help to bring the price of daily essentials under control.

The allocation under the safety net programmes has been proposed Taka 1,36,026 crore for FY25,up from Taka 1,26,272 crore in FY24 aiming to bring more people under the safety net programmes ,said Nurul Islam Nahid MP of Sylhet-6.

"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 Muhibur Rahman Manik, MP, of Sunamganj-4.

Terming the proposed as land mark, Syeda Zakia Noor, MP, of Kishorganj-1 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, Jatiya Party lawmaker Nurunnahar Begum of Women seat-50, however, said the proposed budget has increased the allocation under social safety net but did not increase the peoples allocation.

Treasury bench members, State Minister for Finance Wasika Ayesha Khan, Mayejuddin Sharif of Hobiganj-2, Pran Gopal Dutta of Cumilla-7, SM Ataul Huq of Satkhira-4, Mohammad Mainuddin of Brahmanbaria-2 and Sahabuddin of MoulviBazar-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.