National budget for fy 2024-25 will be designed in accordance with 8th Five Year Plan, Perspective Plan and with the election manifesto of Bangladesh Awami League, said State Minister for Finance, Waseqa Ayesha Khan on Sunday.
State Minister said Poverty eradication, development of women and children, education, health, tackling climate change impacts and social safety net issues will get priority in this year's budget.
She was addressing a pres-budget discussion styled’ Macro Economic Stability and Next Budget’ organised by the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) at its office at Paltan in the capital.
ERF President, Refayet Ullah Mirdha presided over the seminar while former Finance Secretary, Mahbub Ahmed, CPD Distinguished Fellow Prof Dr Mostafizur Rahman , President of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) , Anwarul Alam Chowdhury Parvej , former DCCI President Mahmud Shams were the panel discussants in the seminar.
Speakers stressed addressing the energy issues and curbing the growing defaulted loan in a bid to bring about positive changes in the economy.
Controlling inflationary pressure is another major area right at the moment, they pointed out.
Shams Mahmud, while addressing, mentioned that Globally demand of RMG products is reducing at the same time becoming highly competitive. Major developments taken place in the RMG in recent years is for the government initiatives, now energy prices hike should be following an specify guidelines. Interest rate here raised aiming to Inflation control , but we know that 80 percent loan in Bangladesh is in industrial sector, so this is not being able to create any impact in consumer sector.
Former Finance Secretary Mahbub Ahmed said the government has taken inflation as a big challenge and taken various measures to bring it under control.
