Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) has called on the government to reduce reliance on borrowing in the upcoming national budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year and to ensure greater transparency and accountability in public spending.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion titled “The Upcoming Fiscal Year Budget of Bangladesh: Our Thoughts and People’s Expectations” held at the Shafiqul Kabir Hall of Dhaka Reporters Unity on Monday, IAB Ameer Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim (Charmonai Pir) said public funds must be managed responsibly as the budget represents a commitment to the people.
He said the government has no authority to engage in wasteful spending, delays or mismanagement when implementing a budget financed by taxpayers’ money. According to him, the growing dependence on borrowing in the proposed budget should be reconsidered in light of the country’s economic situation.
Rezaul Karim noted that while around 1 crore citizens are registered taxpayers, nearly the entire population contributes to state revenue through indirect taxation. He stressed that this makes efficient and transparent use of public funds even more important.
He also alleged that weaknesses in monitoring, accountability and implementation have led to significant wastage of budgetary resources. According to him, corruption in procurement processes further diverts public money away from intended development purposes.
Although various benefits are announced in the national budget each year, he said many of them fail to reach ordinary citizens due to systemic issues. He argued that meaningful improvement would require both policy reform and changes in governance practices.
The IAB leader further suggested that adopting Shariah-based economic principles could contribute to greater financial stability in the country.
The discussion was moderated by IAB spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman and attended by several political leaders, former advisers, academics and journalists, who shared their views on budget planning and public expectations.
