Thursday, December 19, 2024

Muhith budget tows populist line in poll year

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, on Thursday, unveiled a Tk. 222,491 crore populist budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year, in Jatiya Sangsad, by avoiding imposition of any significant tax burden and by expanding social safety net programmes. The budget, having a deficit of 4.6 per cent, eyes 7.2 per cent GDP growth for the next fiscal ... Read more

Budget in the eyes of leading economists

Prominent economist Mirza Azizul Islam has described the prevailing political uncertainty in Bangladesh as the main hurdle in achieving the goals prescribed in the budget proposals placed before Parliament on Thursday. “If the present political uncertainty is not resolved, most of the goals prescribed in the budget proposals are not likely to be achieved. We ... Read more

FBCCI calls budget ‘growth-oriented’

Terming the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2013-14 as growth-oriented, investment and business-friendly, Bangladesh’s apex trade body, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), said that the implementation of the budget would largely depend on the country’s political stability. Finance minister AMA Muhith presented the

People’s aspirations, hopes not reflected in budget: BNP

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 ... Read more

Pay more for smoking: Bidi tax up, cigarette costlier

After four years, the government has decided to increase tax on biri. Cigarette price has also been increased in the current budget. Rate of supplementary duty (excise tax) on biri has been increased from 20% to 30%. Moreover, the ‘tariff value’ (used as the base price for taxation) has been hiked from Tk. 3.16 to ... Read more