Islami Andolon Bangladesh has described the proposed national budget as 'overly optimistic' and believes it will be difficult to implement. The party's spokesperson and joint general secretary, Gazi Ataur Rahman, stated that the budget's goals, such as achieving a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, reducing inflation to 7.5%, and achieving a 6.5% growth target, are challenging given the current economic realities. He criticized the budget for expressing such optimism despite discussing the fragile economy and unstable global politics, calling it a mere political promise. Rahman emphasized the need for realistic targets rather than giving the public unachievable hopes.
However, Islami Andolon praised certain aspects of the budget, such as its focus on social and cultural fabric, economic democratization, demographic dividend, longevity dividend, and democratic dividend. The party commended the budget for considering stability, investment, production, employment, and equity as key factors. They also acknowledged the challenging goal of increasing the revenue-GDP ratio to 9.60% by 2030-31 through full automation of tax management to prevent revenue leakage.
The party expressed support for the aspiration to reduce debt dependency and promote an investment-driven economy but highlighted the obstacles posed by policy weaknesses, political instability, and the government's lack of interest in reforms. Islami Andolon criticized the budget for primarily consulting with businessmen and the upper echelons of society, neglecting discussions with workers, farmers, and the general public. They emphasized the importance of engaging with the masses and prioritizing their interests in budget formulation.
