Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given her nod to the proposed national budget of Tk8 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25, marking a significant milestone in Bangladesh’s economic planning.
The approval came during a meeting where the budget proposal was presented before her, and it is slated to be formally presented in parliament on June 6, as confirmed by sources from the Finance Ministry to UNB on Tuesday.
Expressing her stance on economic priorities, Prime Minister Hasina advocated for measures to discourage the import of luxury goods, echoing the emphasis on inflation control, a cornerstone of the upcoming budget, akin to the current fiscal year.
She emphasized the alignment of the budget with the electoral manifesto, expressing satisfaction with the Ministry of Finance’s allocation plan, which mirrors the government’s pledges.
During a meeting held at Ganobhaban, chaired by Prime Minister Hasina, a summary of the FY 2024-25 budget was presented. Key directives from the Prime Minister included controlling inflation, boosting foreign direct investment (FDI), managing imports prudently, ensuring efficient implementation of development projects, enhancing revenue collection, and facilitating legitimate channels for expatriate income.
Notable attendees at the meeting included Planning Minister Major General (Retd) Abdus Salam, State Minister of Finance Waseqa Ayesh Khan, State Minister of Planning Md. Shahiduzzaman, Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rauf Talukdar, National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abu Hena Md. Rahmatul Muneem, Finance Secretary Dr. Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder, and senior officials from the finance division, ministries of finance, and planning. Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali participated via online connectivity.
The approval of the Tk8 lakh crore budget underscores the government’s commitment to steering Bangladesh towards sustainable economic growth and development in the upcoming fiscal year.
