NN Online:
BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has criticized the proposed national budget for the fiscal year 2025–26, saying it should have been smaller and more aligned with Bangladesh’s actual revenue earnings.
Speaking at a press briefing in Dhaka’s Banani on Monday following the budget announcement, Khasru said, “There is no connection between our revenue generation and the size of the national budget. The government continues to inflate the budget size without addressing this basic disconnect.”
Referring to the newly proposed budget of Tk 7.89 trillion (7,89,999 crore), presented by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed earlier in the day, Khasru remarked, “When the entire revenue is used up for operating expenses, the development budget has to be funded entirely by loans—both domestic and foreign. That creates long-term burdens.”
He warned that excessive reliance on borrowing, especially from domestic sources, poses serious risks to the economy. “When the government borrows heavily from within the country, interest rates go up. This discourages private investment, slows job creation, and keeps incomes stagnant,” he explained.
“The interest payments alone consume a significant portion of the budget. As a result, public development efforts suffer, and the people are left to shoulder the growing debt burden,” he added.
Khasru also emphasized that the structure of the budget has not fundamentally changed from previous years. “The approach remains the same as the previous government’s. While some numbers may vary, the overall framework is unchanged. The budget was not crafted based on revenue capacity, which is a serious flaw,” he said.
He noted that the government will need to secure approximately $3.5 billion in foreign loans to implement the budget. “Without effective revenue generation strategies, this will be extremely difficult,” he warned.
In conclusion, Khasru stated, “A budget disconnected from economic realities only deepens the crisis. We needed a more realistic, reform-oriented financial plan—not one based on borrowed money.”
