Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has termed the proposed budget for fiscal 2019-20 a budget for social welfare and wellbeing for all.

"All parties will work together to implement the budget," the premier said in her post-budget press conference at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka this afternoon.

Elaborating further on the issue, she underscored the need to tighten the clasp on willful loan defaulters towards amending the financial sector.

"We will take stern action against the wilful loan defaulters to bring discipline to the financial sector," Hasina said.

Read more

Long on promises, short on specifics

In a rare instance, Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, appeared before such press conference for the first time as Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal is ill.

The media briefing began around 3:00pm. The prime minister took questions from the journalists after she read out a summary of the proposed budget which was placed before the parliament yesterday.

Responding to a query over the Centre for Policy Dialogue's observation on the proposed budget, PM Hasina said that there are some people in the society who do not see or like the good aspects of anything.

"My point of view is that whether the people will be benefited by the national budget or not," Hasina said.  

CPD today observed that the proposed budget will only benefit the high-income people.

Read more

Mobile phone calls may get costlier

Yesterday, the premier read out a part of the budget speech in the parliament as the finance minister was struggling with illness.

Kamal fumbled through the start of his speech before being allowed by Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury to deliver his address sitting down.

This is the first budget of the Awami League government in its third successive term and also the first one for Mustafa Kamal as the finance minister.