BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed on Friday termed the proposed 2013-14 budget a big beautiful balloon and said it will push up inflation and the prices of essentials, and hamper the investment.“The big size budget is a big beautiful balloon. It’ll trigger inflation and plummet investment… the prices of essentials will go up,” he told a discussion.
Bangladesh Islamic Party arranged the discussion, titled ‘Tolerance of opinions’ of others a precondition for an active and effective parliament’ at the National Press Club.
Moudud said it will not be possible to implement the budget as the proposed revenue could not be collected by imposing direct and indirect taxes. “Though the government can collect the money, half of it would be wasted.”
Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Thursday placed a Tk 2,22,491 crore election year budget in parliament envisioning to attain 7.2 percent GDP growth by bringing down inflation under 7 percent.
In his instant reaction to the budget on Thursday, Moudud at a discussion termed the proposed budget for fiscal 2013-14 a pro-election and political one.
“The budget was framed targeting the next general election. It won’t help change the fortune of the country’s people,” he said.
The BNP policymaker also said the government will not be able to implement the budget due to widespread corruption and its poor capability.
Addressing Friday’s discussion, Moudud said there is no alternative to arranging the next general election under a non-party caretaker government to maintain the continuation of democratic process in the country.
Mentioning that Awami League and tolerance of other’s opinions are antonymous, he said the ruling party in its four-and-a-half-year rule has conspired to wipe out the opposition by its repressive acts. “They’ve banned public meetings and rallies. The consequences of their misdeeds won’t be good, and one day they’ll have to pay for it.”
He accused the government of creating the ongoing political crisis by annulling the caretaker government system, and said the day is not far away it will restore the system.
(Source: UNB)
