NCP proposes Tk 8.52 lakh crore budget for 2026–27

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has presented a shadow budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year titled “Bangladesh 2.0: Sustainable Growth through Reform, Employment and Investment”. The party says the proposal is aimed at building a more sustainable economic framework by boosting public welfare, controlling inflation, creating jobs and increasing investment.

The shadow budget was announced at a press conference on Friday afternoon in Banglamotor, Dhaka. It was presented by Hasnat Abdullah, Chief Organiser (South) of the NCP and Member of Parliament. NCP Joint Convener and Kurigram-2 MP Dr Atiq Mujahid, along with other central leaders, were also present.

Party leaders said the proposed budget size stands at Tk 852,157 crore, which is Tk 62,157 crore higher than the current fiscal year. They proposed keeping the budget deficit at 3.09 per cent of GDP. Inflation is targeted to fall from 9.2 per cent to 8 per cent and further to 6 per cent in the following fiscal year.

The proposal also aims to raise the revenue-to-GDP ratio from 6.7 per cent to 9.32 per cent in the first year. To achieve this, the party suggested measures including making income tax return submission mandatory for electricity connections, integrating TIN, NID, bank accounts and mobile financial services, introducing a wealth tax, digitalising ports and removing unnecessary tax exemptions. The NCP estimates these steps could generate an additional Tk 76,000 crore in revenue.

The party also outlined reforms to the tax structure, including raising the tax-free income threshold from Tk 3.5 lakh to Tk 4.5 lakh, with higher limits of Tk 4.75 lakh for women and senior citizens and Tk 5 lakh for persons with disabilities. It also proposed recognising zakat as a tax rebate, introducing an inheritance tax, and reducing corporate tax from 27.5 per cent to 25 per cent.

In education and employment, the NCP proposed the largest allocation for the education and technology sector, amounting to Tk 12,442.5 crore. It suggested a nationwide school feeding programme in government primary schools, a Tk 5,000 crore teacher development fund, and the nationalisation of 5,000 schools.

The party also set out a target of creating one crore jobs over five years through SME lending, youth entrepreneurship funds and digital training programmes.