Proposed budget to be implemented proving criticisms languid: Hasan
Hasan, also AL joint general secretary, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants to turn Bangladesh into a social welfare state
Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the proposed budget for fiscal 2020-21 would be implemented proving all the criticisms languid.
He came up with the remarks while talking to reporters at an oxygen cylinder distribution programme at Chattogram Circuit House here, a ministry press release said.
Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, Chattogram divisional commissioner ABM Azad, deputy commissioner of Chattogram Md Ilias Hossain and Chattogram Divisional acting health director Dr Mustafa Khalid Ahmad, among others, were present at the function.
In his budget reaction, Hasan said the Awami League government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, implemented budgets in the last 11 years, proving all the criticisms languid.
"The country has moved forward. Poverty has declined to its half. Per capita income increased three times. Bangladesh becomes one of the highest GDP achieving countries in the world. This proposed budget will also be implemented," he added.
Hasan, also AL joint general secretary, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants to turn Bangladesh into a social welfare state.
Noting that the prime minister fixed 8.2 percent economic growth in the proposed budget, he said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasted if coronavirus pandemic ends and there is no global economic meltdown, Bangladesh could achieve 9 percent economic growth.
"If we consider the IMP's prediction, achieving 9 percent economic growth is not ambitious," he added.
Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the information minister said, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal announced a courageous national budget under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Observing that there are some selected experts in the country who always give opinion on the budget, he said: "The CPD did not appreciate the proposed budgets in the last 11 years. Every time, it said this budget is ambitious and not implementable."
But, Hasan said, about 93 to 96 percent of the budgets was implemented in the last 11 years. "Despite proving their criticisms bogus, they followed the same trend of their criticism," he added.
He said when Awami League formed the government in 2009, the per capita income was only UD$ 600 but it increased to US$ 2,080 now.
About the scope of whitening black money in the proposed budget, the AL joint general secretary said the BNP's finance minister Saifur Rahman had introduced this system in the budget.
Claiming that Saifur Rahman himself whitened black money, he said BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia also whitened black money.
Hasan said considering the greater interest of economy, whitening black money is allowed in many countries of the world.
Coming down heavily on BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud who raised question about the government's scope of whitening black money in the budget, the information minister said the BNP leader should scrutinise information and data to this end and look his own face on the mirror.
