The second budget session (8th session) of the 11th parliament will begin at 5pm on Wednesday amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal will place a Tk 556,978-crore proposed national budget for 2020-21 fiscal year in the House on Thursday giving an outline of recovering the economy from the negative impacts of COVID-19 pandemic in his budget speech.
The Finance Minister will also narrate various steps so far the government has already to face the adverse impact of the COVID-19 and save people’s lives and livelihoods.
The budget will contain clear guidelines regarding saving the overall economy, agriculture, industries, SME and trade and business.
The budget will give special focus on post-COVID-19 employment, investment, food security, social safety net and medical services.
The National Economic Council (NEC) already approved the Annual Development Programme (ADP) of Tk 205,145 crore for 2020-21 fiscal giving importance to transportation, education, health and agriculture sectors.
The size of the outgoing fiscal budget was Tk 523,190 crore, but later it was reduced to Tk 501,577 crore in the revised budget.
On May 18 last, President Abdul Hamid summoned the session (Budget Session for 2020-21FY) exercising power bestowed upon him by Article 72 (1) of the Constitution.
Given the situation caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, this time the parliament session will run amid imposition of some restrictions and conditions.
A smaller number of Members of Parliament (MPs) will join the budget session for the sake of maintaining safe distancing between every two MPs in the House, said ruling party’s whip Md Atiur Rahman Atik.
“At least 60 MPs need to be present to maintain the quorum of the House. So, keeping it in mind, the MPs will join the session every day as many as can be accommodated maintaining safe distance in the House,” he told UNB.
Only the most essential officers and employees of the Parliament Secretariat will be present during the session, said the Awami League’s Whip in Parliament.
Besides, personal staff –personal assistants and PS—of the MPs as well as journalists would not be allowed to enter the Parliament Bhaban, he said.
Everyone will have to go through thermal scanner while entering the Parliament Bhaban, said Atik.
This year, the budget documents will be provided to the media from the Parliament’s media centre just after the Finance Minister starts placing the proposed budget at 3pm on Thursday, said an official of the Parliament Secretariat.
This session will have less number of sittings and businesses unlike the previous budget sessions, he said, reports UNB.