Allocation in Essential Services including Agriculture is not Satisfactory
Speakers said in post-budget consultation
The Finance minister, in his budget speech, has promised a lot of things in the essential services sector but those were not reflected in the allocations. The budget has mainly served the interest of the rich and businessmen. Indirect tax has been increased which will negatively affect the lives of the poor people. Provision has been made to whiten black money which is tantamount to institutionalising corruption. By allocating low budget in the agriculture and agriculture subsidy, the government has, in way, breached its own electoral promise. These are frustrating- speakers said in a post-budget discussion organized by SUPRO, today, 14 June 2012 at the CIRDAP Auditorium, Dhaka. They added- Bureaucratic complication in budget implementation has to be reduced and inter-ministry coordination has to be increased.
The event was organized to discuss on the national budget 2012-13 and express the expectations and frustrations of the grassroots people on it. It was part of SUPRO’s budget campaign and result of grassroots post-budget consultations in 45 districts. Representatives from different districts, experts, Members of Parliament, civil society members, journalists and members of the public were present in the discussion to share their views. They demanded: budgeting process should be participatory and bottom-up. A mechanism for budget implementation tracking and monitoring is also needed.
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Agriculture, Shawkat Momen Shahjahan MP said that the government has to strike a balance between expectations and abilities in the budget. One of the reasons for low allocation in agriculture is that the government is trying to discourage overuse of Urea fertilizer and prevent its smuggling in neighbouring countries. The government is also focusing on the development of railway to help marketing of the agro-products and cheaper transportation to the common people. The most difficult task for the government is to fix the price of agricultural products.
The Chairperson of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Dr. M S Akbar MP said that we could never be able to reflect the demands of the people in the budget, unless we have a decentralised budgeting process from Union Parishad, Upzila and District levels. There is no instance that any country has prospered following the conditions of the IMF-World Bank, the evidence is rather contrary. He also requested the finance minister to expand direct tax instead of indirect tax.
Politician Haider Akbar Khan Rano said that the interest of the working class has always been neglected in the budget. The garments workers earn highest amount of remittance but there is no allocation for the improvement of their living standard. There should be provision for rationing and accommodation for them.
Economist and Unnayan Onneysan Chairperson Rashed Al-Mahmood Titumir said that Bangladesh is an expanding economy, there is no economic logic to follow a policy to contract it but the proposed budget will do the same. And, it is happening because of the conditionality of IMF loans.
The discussion was moderated by SUPRO Chairperson Abdul Awal; Deputy Director Abu Ala Mahmudul Hasan started the event with welcome speech and it was concluded by the thanks giving of EC member Sharifa Khatun. The budget review paper was presented by coordinator Mousumi Biswas.
Mahboob Ara Gini MP, SUPRO EC member Manju Rani Pramanik, NC member Shamima Akhter Moonmoon, Daisy Ahmed, AHM Shamsul Islam Dipu, SUPRO District Secretary Anisur Rahman, Hasan Millat, SUJAN Coordinator Dilip Sarker and CAMPE Manager Dr. Mustafizur Rahman also participated in the discussion. Among others, SUPRO EC member KGM Faruque, NC member MA Salam, SUPRO District Secretary Manzurur Ahsan Milan, A Halim, Jahangir Alam Nantu, Mojaharul Haque Bablu, Zahidul Islam, Mahbubur Rahman and Bangladesh Bhumihin Shamity General Secretary Subal Sarker were present.
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Agriculture, Shawkat Momen Shahjahan MP said that the government has to strike a balance between expectations and abilities in the budget. One of the reasons for low allocation in agriculture is that the government is trying to discourage overuse of Urea fertilizer and prevent its smuggling in neighbouring countries. The government is also focusing on the development of railway to help marketing of the agro-products and cheaper transportation to the common people. The most difficult task for the government is to fix the price of agricultural products.The Chairperson of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Dr. M S Akbar MP said that we could never be able to reflect the demands of the people in the budget, unless we have a decentralised budgeting process from Union Parishad, Upzila and District levels. There is no instance that any country has prospered following the conditions of the IMF-World Bank, the evidence is rather contrary. He also requested the finance minister to expand direct tax instead of indirect tax.
Politician Haider Akbar Khan Rano said that the interest of the working class has always been neglected in the budget. The garments workers earn highest amount of remittance but there is no allocation for the improvement of their living standard. There should be provision for rationing and accommodation for them.
Economist and Unnayan Onneysan Chairperson Rashed Al-Mahmood Titumir said that Bangladesh is an expanding economy, there is no economic logic to follow a policy to contract it but the proposed budget will do the same. And, it is happening because of the conditionality of IMF loans. The discussion was moderated by SUPRO Chairperson Abdul Awal; Deputy Director Abu Ala Mahmudul Hasan started the event with welcome speech and it was concluded by the thanks giving of EC member Sharifa Khatun. The budget review paper was presented by coordinator Mousumi Biswas.
Mahboob Ara Gini MP, SUPRO EC member Manju Rani Pramanik, NC member Shamima Akhter Moonmoon, Daisy Ahmed, AHM Shamsul Islam Dipu, SUPRO District Secretary Anisur Rahman, Hasan Millat, SUJAN Coordinator Dilip Sarker and CAMPE Manager Dr. Mustafizur Rahman also participated in the discussion. Among others, SUPRO EC member KGM Faruque, NC member MA Salam, SUPRO District Secretary Manzurur Ahsan Milan, A Halim, Jahangir Alam Nantu, Mojaharul Haque Bablu, Zahidul Islam, Mahbubur Rahman and Bangladesh Bhumihin Shamity General Secretary Subal Sarker were present.
SUPRO demands
- Participatory and decentralised budgeting process including district and Upzila levels
- Implementable budget and proper implementation of approved budget
- More allocation for essential services including education, health, agriculture and social safety net programmes
- Increasing direct tax base and reducing indirect tax base such as VAT
- Budget implementation tracking and monitoring
- Gender budgeting
- Reducing dependency on external loan and mobilising internal resource
- No provision for whitening black money and stopping its source