On Sunday, the Bangladesh Parliament approved the Tk7,97,000 crore national budget for FY25, aiming for 6.75% economic growth and keeping annual inflation around 6%. Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali presented the Appropriations Bill 2024, seeking a budgetary allocation of Tk12,41,752 crore, which was passed by voice votes.
On Saturday, the Finance Bill 2024 was passed with minor changes. The parliament also reviewed 59 demands for grants from various ministries. Despite 251 cut-motions from opposition members, all were rejected by voice votes.
During the session, seven MPs, including Jatiya Party’s Mujibul Huq and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, as well as Independent MP Pankaj Nath, participated in discussions on the Law Ministry, Secondary and Higher Studies Division, and Social Welfare Ministry. Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury expedited the process, passing the demands for grants without a lunch break. Opposition and independent MPs were present but did not object to the Appropriation Bill’s passage.
