Proposed budget doesn’t reflect opinions of political parties, public: BNP

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has alleged the interim government has announced the proposed budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year taking opinions from political parties and the public.

BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury made the allegation during the party’s official response to the proposed budget.

The response was presented at the BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon.

Since there is currently no functioning parliament or democratic government in the country, BNP had expected the interim government would formulate the budget through discussions with political parties involved in the anti-fascistmovement, and establishing a minimum level of national consensus, Amir Khasru stated.

The government could have sought opinions from people of various professions, he pointed out.

The BNP leader also said experts, civil society members, business representatives, and youth could also have been included in the process. However, this was not done.

Amir Khasru remarked that had the views of political parties and the public been considered, the budget would not have been unilateral, nonparticipatory, or a continuation of the same conventional pattern.

Amir Khasru said the current inflation rate is nearly ‘double digit’. The government is saying to bring it down to 6.5 per cent, which appears to be unrealistic. The rate of increase in poverty could have been curbed. The World Bank figures show more than 2.7 million people have become more pure in the last 10 months under the interim government.

The BNP leader further said, “According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, GDP growth in the 2024–25 fiscal was 3.97 per cent. However, in the current budget, it has been projected at 5.6 per cent, which, like previous governments, is unrealistic and merely growth on paper.”

“Food security is under threat. The attempt to show an increase in allocation by including pensions and agricultural subsidies under the inadequate, flawed, and corruption-ridden social safety net sector is misleading. Nevertheless, government allocation for social protection remains insufficient.”

Amir Khasru remarked that the reduction in allocation for vital sectors such as education, healthcare, and agriculture is a cause for concern. He stated that private universities, medical colleges, colleges, and schools could have been brought under full tax exemption. He added that, if the BNP comes to power in the future, these areas of education will be brought under full tax exemption.

Amir Khasru stated that the budget should have included a clear roadmap to address the weaknesses in the economic framework.

He said the primary focus should have been on presenting a strategy for increasing private investment, establishing industries, and creating employment as part of economic recovery.

Priority should have been given to education, healthcare, and agriculture. It was essential to foster new entrepreneurs by supporting small, cottage, and medium-sized enterprises. The high interest rates, coupled with increased taxes and duties, will place significant pressure on industries—particularly the productive sectors.

Many businesses may be forced to shut down, leading to reduced employment opportunities. If financial pressure on the middle and lower-income classes increases, it could fuel economic instability. Progress in poverty alleviation may also come to a halt.

Amir Khasru stated that the budget lacks any specific plans to reduce the cost of doing business, cut bureaucratic red tape, or lower the overall expenses of business operations. As a result, he said, entrepreneurs will face an uncertain and unfavourable environment.

He also pointed out that the increase in duties on online businesses will put pressure on digital entrepreneurs. According to him, this will lead to greater frustration among young entrepreneurs and discourage innovation.

Amir Khasru said the banking sector is in a fragile state. Initiatives to realise default loans, bring back laundered money and to expand the tax net could set a new basement in tax collection. The government is over dependent on the bank.

“Taking loans to clear debts is a threat to economic stability in the long run. The option to whiten black money is a reward for the tax evaders. It’s an injustice for the regular taxpayers. It will affect people’s confidence in the revenue system," Amir Khasru said.

Also present at the press conference were BNP standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Selima Rahman, BNP chairperson’s adviser Ismail Jabiullah, media cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan and press wing member to the chairperson, Shamsuddin Didar.