Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday (Jun 14) described the budget for FY 2019-2020 as public welfare-oriented, seeking cooperation of all to implement it properly for turning Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous country.
“You all should work with sincerity for proper execution of the budget to achieve the cherished goal,” she told a post-budget press conference at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Dhaka in the afternoon.
The PM briefed the media about the proposed budget for FY 2019-2020 and responded to questions for the first time in the history of the country as Finance Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal was sick.
On Thursday, in an unprecedented move, Sheikh Hasina also read out parts of the budget speech on behalf of the Finance Minister who felt unwell while unveiling it in parliament.
The premier said she wanted Bangladesh to go ahead as it is heading towards development in all sectors at an indomitable pace to establish Bangladesh as a ‘Shonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“Bangabandhu made Bangladesh independent. It has earned honour from the entire world as a role model for development. We want Bangladesh to step forward maintaining the dignity,” she said.
Spelling out various initiatives proposed in the budget for education, health, social safety net, agriculture communication, power, energy and ICT sectors, raising a fund of Taka 100 crore to create employment for unemployed youths, she called the budget ‘public welfare-oriented’.
Former Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Agriculture Minister Md Abdur Razzaque, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Planning Minister MA Mannan, National Board of Revenue Chairman Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan and Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir were on the dais with the PM.
Finance Secretary Abdur Rouf Talukder moderated the press conference, reports said.
