General discussions on the proposed national budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 began in Parliament on Tuesday, with lawmakers focusing heavily on issues related to inflation, taxation, and social welfare.
During the opening day of the debate, several opposition members argued that the proposed budget could place additional pressure on the cost of living for ordinary citizens. They expressed concern that inflationary trends and revenue mobilisation measures might further strain household finances.
In contrast, ruling party MPs defended the budget, highlighting that source tax has been reduced on the import of around 61 essential commodities, including rice, wheat, and potatoes. They said this measure would help ease pressure on consumers and stabilise market prices.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury had placed the FY 2026–27 budget in Parliament on 11 June. Earlier, Parliament also discussed the supplementary budget for the current fiscal year, which was passed on Monday. The debate on the new fiscal year’s budget formally commenced on Tuesday.
Jamaat-e-Islami MP Abdus Sattar criticised the budget’s inflation outlook, warning that high price levels could intensify pressure on markets. He also argued that ambitious revenue targets may lead to higher indirect taxation. He opposed the provision for legalising undisclosed income and warned that a large budget deficit could force excessive bank borrowing, potentially raising the cost of living. He also made remarks involving a “needle and sieve” analogy during his speech.
Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad later cautioned him over inappropriate language, stating that certain words had been expunged from the official record.
Opposition MP Sajeda Samad raised concerns over instability in the banking sector, saying depositors are increasingly worried about the safety of their savings and warning that public confidence in banks could erode further.
Ruling party MP Abu Sufian, however, said that for the first time after a budget announcement, commodity prices had not risen.
BNP MP Mominul Haque said the finance minister had reflected key points of BNP’s election manifesto in the budget and noted that Tk1 trillion has been allocated for the education sector, calling it a historic first.
Other MPs highlighted various aspects of the budget, including welfare measures for freelancers, farmers, women, expatriate workers and students, as well as initiatives such as day-care centres, pink buses, and women’s safety programmes. Some also called for sanitary napkins to be recognised as essential goods and for simplifying the tax identification number (TIN) process to improve financial inclusion.
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