Recover assets, reform taxes Dr. Shafiqur

Opposition Leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on Monday urged the government to accelerate efforts to recover assets allegedly laundered abroad, arguing that repatriating even a fraction of the funds could eliminate the budget deficit in the proposed FY2026-27 budget.

Participating in the general discussion on the proposed national budget in Parliament, Shafiqur said an estimated Tk28 lakh crore had been siphoned out of the country over the past 15 and a half years, but the budget lacked a clear roadmap for
recovering those assets.

“Tk28 lakh crore was laundered abroad over the 15 and a half years. But this budget contains neither any guideline nor any proposal on how that money will be brought back.

If we can recover just one-ninth of the laundered money in the 2026-27 fiscal year through proper initiatives, there will be no budget deficit,” he said.

He urged the government to pursue all available legal avenues, including signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with relevant countries to facilitate asset recovery and bring offenders back to face justice.

“But the pace must be like that of a deer, not a tortoise, because the sooner the assets are recovered, the more the state and the deprived people will benefit,” he said.

Shafiqur stressed that the recovered assets belonged to the people and warned that failure to act decisively would encourage future financial crimes.

Turning to fiscal policy, the opposition leader said the country required a budget that genuinely addressed national needs rather than being judged solely by its size.

Although he expressed concern over the ambitious revenue target, he said the government could exceed it through honesty, political commitment and improved tax administration.

He alleged that taxpayers effectively faced multiple unofficial financial burdens in addition to paying taxes to the state, arguing that eliminating corruption and extortion within the tax system would encourage greater voluntary compliance.

“If taxpayers are assured that they only need to pay one tax-the one deposited to the government-they will be more willing to pay higher taxes voluntarily,” he said.

He also called on the government to strengthen confidence among businesses by providing support during difficult periods.

“If businesspeople believe paying taxes is not a one-way tunnel-that the government will stand beside them in difficult times-they will be encouraged to pay taxes in the same way as businesses do in developed countries,” he said.

Shafiqur thanked Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury for preparing the budget under challenging economic circumstances, describing it as a difficult task given the condition of the economy inherited by the government.

Calling the opposition the “watchdog” of the government, he expressed hope that constructive proposals from both opposition and treasury bench lawmakers would be reflected in the final budget.

He also proposed changing Bangladesh’s fiscal year from the current July-June cycle to a January-December calendar year, arguing that it would improve development project implementation and reduce waste caused by rushed year-end spending.

Highlighting structural reforms, Shafiqur called for greater accountability in public expenditure, wider use of technology to improve disaster forecasting and stronger measures to reduce corruption.

He urged increased investment in education, including support for Qawmi and Ebtedayee madrasas, merit-based university appointments and funding for research-oriented universities.

The opposition leader also called for reforms in the healthcare sector, arguing that existing hospitals should be strengthened with adequate manpower, equipment and logistics before launching new projects.

He further urged the government to take what he described as a humane and practical approach regarding Ad-din Medical College and Hospital to protect the academic future of around 750 medical students and a similar number of nursing students affected by the suspension of its licence.

Shafiqur also called for lower overseas migration costs, faster implementation of major infrastructure projects, including the Dhaka-Sylhet highway, Teesta Mega Project and a bridge linking Bhola with the mainland, as well as measures to address water shortages in his Dhaka-15 constituency.