Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has said the hopes and aspirations of the people have not been reflected in the proposed budget for fiscal 2013-14. Giving an instant reaction to reporters at the media centre at Parliament soon after the placement of the national budget for fiscal 2013-14, BNP leader MK Anwar said the prices of the daily essentials would increase due to the adverse impact of the budget.
Even though the size of the proposed budget is not big compared to the need of the country, its fund management is unrealistic and would thus be difficult, he said adding the government has no administrative skills to manage a deficit budget. The BNP leader said the people’s daily expenditures increased 58 percent over the last few years. But due to the proposed budget, new taxes would be imposed on essentials creating further financial crisis of the people, he added.
Anwar, who is also a standing committee member of the party, said people’s hopes and aspirations were not reflected in the budget placed by the Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday.
He said some 8 percent subsidy was curtailed in the proposed budget as against the previous one. Under this situation, the government will be forced to impose new taxes on different items, he observed.
The government will fail to achieve the GDP growth target and bring down the rate of inflation through this budget, he observed. The general people will face difficulties under the inflationary pressure as the government has reduced Tk 3,000 crore for the agriculture sector in the budget, he said.
Moudud Ahmed, another standing committee member of the party, has termed the national budget as an “electoral pledge of the ruling Awami League.” He said several ruling party men have gained huge amount of black money through illegal means. The government has given them a chance to whiten their black money, he added.
-With The Independent input
