BNP lawmakers on Sunday described the proposed national budget for FY2026-27 as 'time-befitting,' stating it would bring significant changes in human resource development, public welfare, and economic reforms. The remarks were made during the general discussion on the proposed budget in Parliament.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury unveiled the Tk 9.38 trillion budget on June 11, setting a GDP growth target of 6.5 percent, aiming to recover from the provisional 4.14 percent growth recorded in the outgoing fiscal year. Congratulating the finance minister, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the budget prioritizes human resource development, investment, employment generation, and economic reforms.
Government's Vision and Challenges
LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the budget had been announced at a critical time. 'We believe that we will overcome the situation under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman,' he said. Fakhrul, also the BNP Secretary General, added that the party had always accepted challenges and knew how to face difficult situations.
Opposition Chief Whip and NCP Convener Nahid Islam questioned the government's commitment to reforms, saying the BNP government had not implemented reforms in line with the July National Charter despite being a signatory. He expressed doubts over whether the opposition could rely on the government's budget pledges but urged it to curb corruption, implement the July Charter, and bring those involved in money laundering to justice to ensure the budget's successful implementation.
Ministerial Support and Sectoral Allocations
Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee said the government was giving priority to securing Bangladesh's fair share of water from the Farakka Barrage. Health and Family Welfare Minister Md Sakhawat Husain welcomed the proposed budget, saying it would help reduce healthcare costs through significant duty reductions and waivers on 77 categories of drug raw materials.
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood said the budget had allocated Tk 17,345 crore to make the energy sector self-reliant, with a target of generating 10,000 megawatts of electricity from renewable sources. Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon said education spending had been increased to around 2 percent of GDP, up from 1.69 percent in FY2024-25.
Infrastructure and Social Welfare
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said the finance minister had restructured public expenditure effectively, allocating 30 percent for social infrastructure, 18 percent for physical infrastructure, and 26 percent for general services. State Minister for Road Transport and Highways Habibur Rashid said Tk 36,917 crore had been allocated for the road transport and highways sector, including Tk 30,741 crore for development.
State Minister for Social Welfare Barrister Farjana Sharmin said substantial allocations had been made for social welfare programmes and stressed the need to ensure that benefits reached grassroots people. State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr MA Muhit said the budget outlines integrated healthcare services and increases health sector allocations to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses.
