Dhaka: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday described the proposed budget for the 207-18 fiscal year as a ‘budget of plundering', saying it will create further scopes for Awami league leaders and activists to misappropriate public money.
“It's a budget of looting which has created scopes for Awami League (men) to steal public money… the Finance Minister himself can't formulate the budget as it has been prepared as per Hasina's (PM's) directives. So, the budget is nothing, but the reflection Hasina's desires,” she said.
Speaking at an iftar party-cum-discussion programme, the BNP chief made the remarks giving her initial reaction to the national budget for fiscal 2017-2018.
Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum arranged the party at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium, marking BNP founder Ziaur Rahman's 36th death anniversary.
Earlier in the day, Finance Minister AMA Muhith unveiled a Tk 4,00,226 crore ambitious budget for the next fiscal year (2017-18) with a growth target of 7.4 percent, expecting to open up a new horizon for Bangladesh through some initiatives ahead of the next general election.
This was Muhith's 11th budget and the ninth in a row in the House, which he began unveiling around 1:45pm in almost full attendance of the parliament members, including Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
About the budget, Khaleda said the government will later increase the proposed allocations for different sectors and projects to embezzle public money. “This budget will be changed later. They'll turn a Tk 10,000 crore project into Tk 30,000 crore one.”
About the gas price hike put in force today, she said the government has taken the move to loot public money. “You've raised gas tariffs. Rice prices have already gone beyond people's buying capacity. So, shelve your (govt's) plan to hike gas prices. Give attention to public sufferings shunning plundering of public money.”unb
