Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury is set to place the national budget for fiscal year FY27 in the National Parliament on Thursday, marking his maiden budget presentation under the current government.
The proposed budget is expected to total Tk9.38 lakh crore, the largest in the country’s history, and will outline an expansionary fiscal plan aimed at transforming Bangladesh into a more investment-driven economy with a long-term “trillion-dollar economy” vision.
Finance Division officials said the budget is being prepared under the theme “Economic Democratization and Deregulation: Bangladesh’s Journey Towards a Trillion-Dollar Economy.” It places strong emphasis on human capital development, prioritising education, health, employment generation, social protection and entrepreneurship.
A key policy shift in FY27 will be reduced focus on physical infrastructure and greater investment in human resources. Significant allocations are expected for education and health, alongside new entrepreneurship and SME funds, including Tk225 crore for entrepreneurship development and Tk2,000 crore for SME support.
The budget is also likely to include partial implementation of a new pay scale for public servants, introduction of an E-Health Card programme for 25 lakh citizens, and expanded social safety net initiatives such as farmer and family cards. A Tk300 crore allocation is expected for programmes aimed at youth engagement and preventing social risks.
Macroeconomic projections suggest GDP of Tk68.30 lakh crore, growth of 6.5 per cent, inflation of 7.5 per cent, and a fiscal deficit of Tk2.51 lakh crore, or 3.6 per cent of GDP.
The government plans to finance the deficit through Tk1.16 lakh crore in external borrowing and Tk1.35 lakh crore domestically.
Structural reforms are a central feature, including deregulation to improve the ease of doing business, simplified licensing, and the rollout of a “Banglabiz” one-stop digital platform.
The National Board of Revenue is expected to undergo major automation, including full online tax filing, faster refunds, and expanded digital services.
Despite strong reform ambitions, analysts caution that inflation control, revenue mobilisation and investment growth will remain key challenges in implementation.
