Budget 2026-27: Govt raises education sector allocation to 2pc of GDP

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury is presenting the proposed budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year in the National Parliament. He began delivering the budget speech at around 3:00 pm today, Thursday. It is the first budget of the BNP government's current term in office.

The government has unveiled an ambitious education reform agenda aimed at building a skills-based, technology-driven and employment-oriented education system, while increasing the sector's allocation to 2 per cent of GDP in the upcoming fiscal year.

Presenting the national budget, the government announced a proposed allocation for the education sector of 2 per cent of GDP in the upcoming fiscal year, with a total allocation of Tk 1,366.06 billion (1 lakh 36 thousand and 606 crore).

In the fiscal year 2025–26, the allocation for the education sector was Tk 872.06 billion (87 thousand and 206 crore), equivalent to 1.39 per cent of GDP.

The government said it intends to raise education spending to five per cent of GDP over the next five years and prioritise teacher development, technical education, research, innovation and labour market-oriented curricula.