|
I have few comments on the budget.
As Honorable Finance Minister provides more focus on poverty alleviation
as he does always, there is no clear strategy for it. We have to define
what we mean by poverty alleviation. Who are poor? And what portion of
the budget is allocated for them? This is not clear in this budget. The
strategy and budget allocation for poverty alleviation is not clear to
me.
Total size of this year's budget is high. But we have to think that,
last year government could not spend 70% of the ADP. How this increased
budget will be realized this year? What are the reasons behind it? Is
there any hidden reason behind it? There could be a political factor as
the election is knocking at the door. Or is there any pressure from
outside? This is not clear to me. But there are some factors behind it
which is not clear to me.
Overall inflation rate is 1.4% and this rate is 7% for food. There is no
clear strategy how this budget will contribute to control this
inflation.
There is a provision of whitening black money and 6.5% tax is imposed on
it. What is the benefit of it? In my findings I have observed that a
total of 7,000 crore Taka came into our market as black money.
Government declare it 100-1200 crore Taka. But end of the year, total
black money realized was Taka 200-300 crore Taka. What is the benefit of
it? We have to know the source of this block money. What is the amount
of such black money? What are the sources? How to handle the sources? On
the one hand, government anti-corruption department says that, whitening
black money is not ethical; on the other hand government is keeping
provision for it. Isn't contradictory? We have to make a well accepted
conclusion.
Tax holiday is discussed as usual. But it will be misused. We have to
know the sub-sectors where tax holiday is applicable. These are not
clear to me. We have to know the relationship with this tax holiday with
export growth, GDP, employment. These are not clear.
|