'We were poor, we know the pain of being poor'
Finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has said this year’s budget is a supportive one for all people of the country and it is a budget of the marginal community.
“I know the pain of being poor as I myself was poor. I know that we have to take everyone forward together, to get rid of this," he added.
The finance minister said this in a press conference on the proposed budget of 2022-23 fiscal year that was placed in the parliament on Thursday.
Finance ministry organised the press briefing on Friday, the following day of the budget placed in the parliament, as per the tradition.
The briefing was held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.
Apart from the finance minister, agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque, education minister Dipu Moni, health minister Zahid Maleque and state minister for planning Shamsul Alam were present during the press briefing.
Besides, Bangladesh Bank governor Fazle Kabir, National Board of Revenue chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem, finance secretary Abdur Rouf Talukder and Economic Relations Division secretary Fatima Yasmin were also present.
In reply to newsmen about bringing back laundered money, the finance minister said, “It is the nature of money to be flowing towards happier places. For this, we are assuming that money has been siphoned off and initiatives have been taken to bring them back. Many of the people involved in money laundering are in jail.”
“This money is people’s right. Don't oppose it. What is your benefit (newsmen) if the money is not brought back? Some 17 countries of the world have taken initiatives to bring back money in this way,” he added.
On the issue of Prashanta Kumar Halder the minister said, “His money will come back from India. He will be sent back as well. The money he used to build a house in Canada, will come back too. We are talking on that issue.”
In response to a question whether the people who will bring the money back, will be protected, NBR chariman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem said, “Those who will bring back money this time, will be protected by the law through the parliament. Therefore, there will be no problem regarding their safety. The previous Truth Commission was not recognised by any law.”
In this connection agricultural minister Abdur Razzaque said, “There was no constitutional government in the country then. Now there is a continuous constitutional government. So, people who will bring back money will not have to face any problems.”
When a newsman asked about the role of government agencies in preventing money laundering, Bangladesh Bank governor Fazle Kabir said, “Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit works to prevent money laundering. We have seen, the money that was laundered to many countries as well as to the Swiss Bank, was not transferred from Bangladesh.”