Staff Reporter :
The BNP on Wednesday strongly criticised the proposed national budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, calling it “unilateral, conventional, and non-participatory.”
The party argued that the budget fails to address key economic challenges such as surging inflation, increasing poverty, and stagnating investment.
“This budget does not reflect a unified national economic vision,” said BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury at a press conference held at the party chairperson’s office in Gulshan.
“Despite BNP’s continued cooperation with the interim government, we had hoped that the budget would be the outcome of dialogue with political stakeholders engaged in the ongoing movement to achieve a national consensus.”
Khosru said the interim government missed an opportunity to consult a wide range of groups – including experts, civil society, business leaders, and youth representatives.
“Such engagement would have made the budget more inclusive and reflective of diverse national perspectives. Instead, the process remained closed and outdated, lacking innovative thinking.”
Given the special context in which this interim government is operating – with an elected administration expected to assume power in the 2025-26 fiscal year – Khosru stressed that national consultation was even more crucial.
Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed on Monday unveiled a Tk 790,000 crore budget for the upcoming fiscal year, starting in July.
Khosru said the proposed budget disregards the fundamental goal of improving the standard of living for ordinary citizens. “This budget fails to uphold the principles of a just, discrimination-free society – principles that have been central to our ongoing movement,” he said.
He criticised the absence of clear solutions to persistent issues such as high inflation, increasing poverty, weak private investment, and limited employment opportunities. Instead, he said, the budget allocates funds to questionable and corruption-prone projects, while slashing essential spending on education, healthcare, and agriculture.
Highlighting the need for a recovery-oriented economic roadmap, the BNP leader stressed the importance of fostering industrial development, job creation, and support for SMEs. “Investment in education, healthcare, and agriculture must be prioritised. Yet, this budget does the opposite – high interest rates, coupled with increased taxes and duties, will stifle the industrial sector.”
Khosru warned that these measures would harm productive sectors, forcing some businesses to close and reducing employment. “If the financial burden on the middle and lower-income groups continues to grow, economic instability will intensify, and gains in poverty reduction could be reversed.”
He expressed particular concern over new tax measures, including taxing private universities, medical colleges, and schools, as well as increasing duties on online businesses. He also noted the absence of meaningful incentives for ordinary investors in the capital market.
“If BNP comes to power, educational institutions will be exempted from taxation,” he said.
Khosru also opposed the provision allowing the legalisation of black money, calling it a reward for tax evaders and a disservice to honest taxpayers. “Such measures undermine public trust in the tax system. Instead of expanding the tax net or targeting fraud, the government has placed more burden on everyday citizens through higher VAT. This has contributed to rising prices and a declining quality of life.”
He criticised the Finance Adviser’s target of bringing inflation down to 6.5 percent, calling it unrealistic. “Inflation is already close to double digits. The government’s assumptions do not reflect ground realities.”
Khosru cited World Bank figures indicating that over 2.7 million people have fallen into deeper poverty under the interim government’s tenure. “With both domestic and foreign investments at a standstill, job opportunities have shrunk in both formal and informal sectors, further worsening poverty.”
Referring to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data, he noted the GDP growth for 2024-25 was only 3.97 percent. “Yet, this year’s budget projects it at 5.6 percent – another inflated figure, reminiscent of previous regimes’ unrealistic targets.”
On food security, he noted growing threats and argued that social protection allocations remain inadequate.
Other senior BNP leaders present at the press conference included Standing Committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Selima Rahman, Advisory Council member Ismail Zabihullah, and Economic Affairs Secretary Khaled Jashim Mahbub Shyamal.
