C T Online Desk: Chittagong Metropolitan Awami League President Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury and General Secretary AJM Nashir Uddin have welcomed the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 as a realistic proposal with a promise to build a happy, prosperous, developed and smart Bangladesh.
They made this demand in an immediate statement on the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 on Thursday (June 6) afternoon.
In a joint statement, they said that the size of the proposed budget is about eight lakh crore takas, but it is not ambitious at all, but a realistic economic proposal in line with the existing reality. The government has to face various pressures in formulating this year’s budget,
IMF advice on one side, inflationary pressure on the other. The IMF has stipulated a certain amount of revenue to be raised in the next financial year. Considering this perspective and facing the multi-faceted global crisis, the budget has taken practical steps to take inflation control as a challenge. Among the positive aspects of the move were the extension of income tax to the rich and the imposition of a 40 per cent duty instead of duty-free imports of cars by MPs. In order to control the market price of daily commodities including rice, dal, onion, potatoes, the proposal of tax exemption and reduction of duty rate will also bring good news to the common people and will create a tolerant atmosphere in improving the standard of living of the common people. Along with this, it is also important to ensure the transparency and accountability of the economic institutions and take necessary steps in favor of the implementation of the budget proposal.
Besides, Chattogram Chamber of Commerce & industry, Chattogram Metropolitan Chamberof Commerce in separate budget reactions said the proposed budget is logical and pro-people.
The proposed budget f is logical and realistic at a time of recession in the global economy, said both the chambers of the port city today (6 June).
“This budget is logical and realistic. It can be implemented through the joint effort of government and private institutions. The government has prioritised national interest in the budget,” CCCI President Omar Hazaz and the CMCCI President Khalilur Ralhman said in an immediate budget reactions
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They said, “We called for the withdrawal of Advance Income Tax (AIT) as part of facilitating ease of doing business in the country. But it was not withdrawn.”In the proposed budget, the government has to collect a total of Tk2.56 lakh crore from foreign and domestic sources to meet the budget deficit. The government has set a target of borrowing Tk1,37,500 crore from the banking sector to meet the budget deficit.
CCCI said coordinated efforts needed by public and private sectors to meet the budget deficit. CMCCI also told strong monitoring is essential to implement the budget proposals and business friendly imports and export police, sources said. CCCI also emphasised the installations of land based LNG terminal at Matarbari , Moheskhali. during the FY.
