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BSS-46
QUADER-BNP-BUDGET
BNP’s budget criticism is typical, premeditated: Quader
DHAKA, June 13, 2020 (BSS) – Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said BNP’s typical criticism over the proposed budget is not new and it is not beyond their conventional way of opposing the government.
“If Mirza Fakhrul (secretary general of BNP) made constructive criticism on the basis of the changed situation, it would have been realistic. But he expressed premeditated and imaginary reactions,” he told a press conference online from his official residence on the premises of Parliament.
Quader said Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir talked about keeping 5 percent allocation for the health sector but if he considered the health sector’s capability of budget implementation, he never made such a comment.
The AL general secretary termed BNP secretary general’s thought as ‘out of box’ and ‘exaggerated’, saying Fakhrul’s observation is not realistic.
The minister said the proposed national budget is a pro-people one amid the global crisis and it would foster the way to overcome the economic crisis triggered by the outbreak of deadly novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina can read the people’s mind and that is why the proposed budget for 2020-2021 fiscal is a presentation of the evidence to safeguard the people’s life and livelihood side by side retrieving the pace of economic development to reach the cherished goal.
Castigating BNP’s typical criticism, Quader said the party opts for criticizing any acts of the government.
He said BNP should have praised the government’s approach in formulating such a large budget and presenting it in Parliament during the period of a massive crisis.
The AL general secretary sought cooperation from BNP in implementing the budget and other works for the welfare of the people and urged the party leaders to shun the way of ‘mere criticism for the sake of criticism’.
Mentioning the government’s emphasis on the health sector in the budget to contain Covid-19, the minister said Sheikh Hasina’s government not only stressed only on the health sector but also laid emphasis on all sectors to cope with the crisis.
Some new projects have been taken to tackle the crisis but it was not be possible to show those in the budget, he added.
About the criticism over the proposal of whitening black money, he said such criticism is conventional and motivated.
On the other hand, he said, the government has kept the scopes for investment in some specific sectors on the basis of reality but all sectors would not enjoy it.
He said special arrangements have been made to boost some specific sectors to tackle the Covid-19 situation.
“These facilities will bring scopes to invest the money inside the country and shun the path of money laundering. The government has announced its firmness in further intensifying the laws against corruption,” he said.
The AL government does not spare irregularities and corruption and its steps (anti-graft drive) against the corruption is an example of its commitment to build a corruption-free country.
BSS/ASG/BKD-MKD/GA/1835 hrs