Describing the national budget for FY 2016-2017 as traditional and highly ambitious one, BNP on Wednesday said it will only increase per capita tax burden instead of ensuring public welfare.The party also questioned the capability of the government to implement the mega budget having a heavy revenue target.
“This budget is not only highly ambitious, but also traditional one. There’s a question about the capability of the government to implement the budget. We think it won’t be possible to implement the budget and it won’t bring any welfare for people,” BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told a press conference. Dhaka, UNB News Agency Reported.
He further said, “The revenue target for 2016-2017 fiscal year has been set at Tk 2,42,752 crore. It means the per capita tax is Tk 15,172 which was Tk 11,027 in the outgoing fiscal… the way tax was imposed in the budget, people will have to bear the additional burden of tax, but it’s not clear what will they get for it.”
A weak after the budget was placed in the parliament, Fakhrul came up with his party’s formal reaction to it at the press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.On June 2, Finance Minister AMA Muhith placed a Tk 340,605 crore national budget in parliament for the next fiscal year (FY17). In the party’s instant reaction, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi turned down the budget saying it is an extremely ‘reactionary and anti-people’ budget.
Fakhrul said the government will not be bale to reach its huge target of revenue earning like previous years. He voiced doubt about the government’s claim that it is going to achieve about 7.05 percent GDP growth in the outgoing fiscal. “We think it’s not the right statistic.” Fakhrul demanded the government withdraw the proposed taxes on mobile SIM card, computer accessories and ICT products.
He also urged the Finance Minister to reconsider proposal for increase in tax at source on RMG sector and taxes on medial equipments.The BNP leader also said there is no specific direction in the national budget to make the capital market stronger and check siphoning off money from it.
He said their party thinks the allocation for the services sectors like education, health and agriculture is not enough. Claiming that around 24 lakh people are becoming unemployed every year, Fakhrul said there is also no plan and strategy outlined in the budget for generating employment.
He also said their party thinks only a pro-people budget can be given by a representative government formed through an inclusive and fair election.
