Published: 10:16 AM, 25 June 2026
Budget aims to restore economic discipline: MPs
Treasury bench lawmakers on Tuesday said the proposed budget aimed to restore financial sector discipline making efforts to prevent undue profiteering by oligarchs, as discussion on the budget is underway in Parliament.
“The BNP government has announced the budget to restore discipline in the economy and revitalize the banking sector,” BNP MP M Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury from Moulvibazar-4 said. The government did not design the budget to benefit oligarchy or enrich few people, he stated.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on June 11 unveiled a Taka 9.38 trillion national budget for 2026-27 fiscal setting the GDP growth target at 6.5 percent aiming to rebound from the provisional 4.14 percent growth recorded in the outgoing fiscal year.
Chowdhury said during the tenure of the fallen government, Taka 28,000,00 crore was siphoned off from the country, which could have been the size of three budgets. He appreciated the budget saying it did not burden ordinary people with additional taxes.
Investors need policy continuity, deregulation, access to finance, energy security and improved connectivity, prime minister’s adviser on planning and economic affairs Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir said, describing the proposed five-year policy outlook as an important signal to businesses.
The Tk 60,000 crore support package should be performance-based, unlike earlier stimulus programmes that often failed to deliver the intended outcomes, he said. On energy, he said Bangladesh would pursue a diversified energy mix, including renewable energy and nuclear power, while expanding onshore and offshore gas exploration. He also called for greater investment in education and healthcare, saying skill mismatches and weak primary healthcare services remain major constraints.
“The budget has been announced in line with the development plan designed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman,” said BNP lawmaker M Abdul Mohit Talukder from Bogura-3. Ruling party MP Khaled Hossain Mahboob from Brahmanbaria-3 said the finance minister announced the budget keeping in mind the country’s pathway in the next five years.
“The budget has increased development expenditure but reduces operation cost,” he said. Opposition lawmaker Ruhul Amin from Chuadanga-2, however, criticized the budget’s “high” revenue collection target of Taka 6,95,000 crore by the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
“It is not easy . . . the previous year’s revenue collection was Taka 3,68,177 crore,” he said. He said the number of people capable of paying tax is almost 8 crore t NBR has only 40 lakh tax files.
The tax GDP collection rate of Bangladesh is only 7.59 percent while it is 23.3 percent in Nepal, 20.3 percent in India, 15.2 percent in Pakistan and 13.3 percent in Sri Lanka.
Jamaat-e Islami lawmaker Mohammad Moslehuddin Farid from Jashore-2 praised the allocation for the health sector and urged the government to implement the ‘Chowgacha model’ for resolving the health sector problems.
Other MPs who took part in the discussion are: Treasury bench lawmakers Aynul Haque from Sirajganj-3, Rezaul Karim Badsha from Bogura-6, SM Faysal from Habiganj-4, ABM MosharrafHossen from Patuakhali-4, Rehana Akter Ranu from women seat-4, SM Zilany from Gopalganj-3, Zahidul Islam Dhalu from Naogaon-5, Esrat Sultana Elen Bhutto from Jhalokathi-2, Amir Azez Khan from Khulna-1, Tamiz Uddin from Dhaka-20, M MonwarHossen from Magura-1, Jahidur Rahman from Thakurgaon-3, Opposition lawmakers Masud Parves from Chuadanga-1,Mst Nazmun Nahar from women seat-40, Mahfuza Hannan from women seat-41, M Abdul Gafur from Khustia-2, Abu Taleb Mondol from Pabna-4, M Abdul Karim from Gaibandha-2, Muhammad Ali Asgar from Pabna-3, M Golam Rasool from Jashore-4 and M Abul Kalam Azad from Khulna-6.
