Business Report :
Young entrepreneur and business leader Sakib Shamim has expressed optimism that the upcoming 2025-26 national budget will be investment-friendly and employment-oriented.
He said that the new national budget is being formulated at a time when the country’s economy is navigating a distinct path.
While this budget has the potential to open doors of opportunity, it also presents the challenge of dealing with complex and critical realities.
Sakib Shamim emphasized the need to control commodity prices in order to reduce inflation, which would bring relief to the general public.
“This is the most critical economic test period for the country-on one hand, there’s a growing revenue deficit, and on the other, a heavy burden of foreign debt, which will exert multidimensional pressure on Bangladesh’s economy.
In this situation, we hope the upcoming budget will not merely be a matter of accounting, but a guide to ensuring economic stability, responsibility, and sustainable development,” he added.
Sakib Shamim, a leading entrepreneur in the health sector and the Managing Director of Labaid Cancer Hospital & Super Specialty Center, came up with these remarks in an interview with The New Nation recently.
The business leader said he heard that allocations for the health and education sectors may be reduced this year.
He questioned the justification behind such a move, saying, “Rather, to ensure the basic rights of citizens and reduce healthcare and education expenses, allocations in these sectors need to be increased.”
Expressing his gratitude to the interim government for reforming trade organization regulations, he said the direct voting system will allow businessmen to elect competent leaders in FBCCI.
Announcing his interest in running as a vice-presidential candidate in the upcoming FBCCI election, Sakib Shamim saidthat he aims to support the government in boosting trade, investment, and job creation in the country.
However, he pointed out several areas requiring attention. He said that government revenue has long been significantly below target, due to both qualitative and structural weaknesses in tax policy.
These issues have created gaps in tax collection, from the corporate sector to individual taxpayers.
Coupled with limited digitization of the revenue collection system and issues of corruption, the crisis has deepened. It is now imperative to make the tax collection process more transparent, modern, and efficient.
