Proposed budget to lead country into highway of prosperity: Lawmakers

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SANGSAD BHABAN, June 20, 2019 (BSS) – Lawmakers today said the proposed
budget for 2019-20 will turn the country into the gateway to the prosperity
through strengthening its economy within stipulated period.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on June 13 in the House rolled out a
Taka 5,23,190 crore national budget for 2019-20 fiscal setting the GDP growth
target at 8.2 percent and delineating a set of programmes to transform the
country into a role model of modern and welfare state by 2041.

Taking part in on the general discussion on the fiscal plan in the Jatiya
Sangsad, they said the proposed budget would turn the country to the
prosperity through developing the various sector and strengthening the
economy of the country.

“Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman earlier introduced the mission to turn
the country into a prosperous one immediately after the independence…and
now his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is struggling to fulfill
Bangabandhu’s dream,” said senior ruling party leader Matia Chowdhury.

After the assassination of Bangabandhu, Matia Chowdhury said, “military
ruler Ziaur Rahman had created anarchy and looting in the economy by
introducing a slogan -‘money is not a problem’, but the incumbent Prime
Minister is trying to reshuffle the economy.”

In 2005-06, country’s foreign reserve was only US$ 3.5 billion while it was
US$ 33 billion in 2017-18 fiscal, said the former minister, adding that
country’s import was US$ 14.7 billion in 2005-06 fiscal while it was US$ 58.9
billion in 2017-18 fiscal.

Congratulating the initiative to launch ‘crop insurance’ in the proposed
budget, Matia Chowdhury said the introduction of the crop insurance in the
proposed budget is a great initiative, but the government should be more
careful on implementation of the programme.

Bitterly criticizing the comment on the proposed budget as a highly
ambitious one, Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim said the
budget is a time-befitting and pro-people one.

“The budget will eliminate discrimination among the people and ensure
prosperity for the people of all strata,” said State Minister for Civil
Aviation and Tourism Mahbub Ali.

Taking part in the budget speech, food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder
said “the proposed budget will fulfill the expectations of the people.”

Workers Party lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha, however criticized the
proposed budget saying it has encouraged the economic liberalism and
disparity as the proposed budget has patronized only 5 per cent rich people
in the country.

But around 95 per cent people including middle, lower middle class people,
poor, indigenous and people living in the char lands have been grossly
ignored in the proposed budget, said the workers party leader.

Treasury bench member Mir Mostaque Ahmed Robi, Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury,
Meher Afroz Chumki, Anwarul Abedin Khan, Abdus Sobhan Miah,Benjir Ahmed,
Shahidul Islam Bakul, Enamul Haque,Waseqa Ayesha Khan, Aparajita Haque,
Gonoforum lawmaker Mukabbir Khan, Jatiya Party lawmaker Kazi Firoz Rashid,
Salma Islam and Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary, took part in the
discussion.

Earlier, they paid their cordial tribute to the memory of Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders, martyred
freedom fighters and also those who made their utmost sacrifices during the
War of Liberation and all subsequent democratic movements in the country.