National budget approved, money whitening provision dropped

The council of advisers today approved the national budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026.

The council, however, did not approve the proposed continuation of a provision allow undisclosed money, a senior official told UNB.

The budget was approved at a meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair at the CA's Tejgaon office.

Earlier, the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) strongly condemned the decision to continue the provision for whitening black money in the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2025–26.

The organisation said it reflects a stance completely contrary to the objectives of state reforms, particularly the core purpose of the Anti-Corruption Commission reform.

In a press statement responding to the announced national budget for FY 2025–26, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman on June 2 said, "Whatever way it may be interpreted, to undermine the core mandate of state reform in general and anti-corruption in particular, this shows how the interim government has surrendered to the real estate lobby power to facilitate corruption. Irrespective of the payable rate, this clearly violates article 20(2) of the constitution under which state specifically commits to prevent possession of unearned income.

It is also discriminatory because the real estate market will proceed more aggressively to become exclusive zone of illicit income owners and deprive honest income earners of the possibility to afford any share of flats or buildings market."