Raising question about the legitimacy of the budget that was not placed before an elected parliament, she said no tax can be imposed on the people without their representation.

Hasina was talking with the reporters on the recently announced budget after emerging out of ZH Shikdar Medical College Hospital at Gulshan in the capital, where she went to visit her ailing aunt Achhia Khatun, sister of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

"If the budget is not aimed at mitigating people's sufferings, what can be expected of it? No step has been taken to check price hike and reduce inflation. There is no plan for employment too," the AL chief said.

"The actual inflation rate is much higher than has been shown. The inflation in food prices is near 25 per cent."

"According to our constitution, the budget should be placed before an elected parliament. Elected people's representatives [lawmakers] will pass the budget, otherwise there remains the question of legality," she added.

"Constitutionally, no tax can be imposed without people's representation. How will they [caretaker government] explain and justify it?

"Under article 93 of the constitution, the president can issue an ordinance...but it is for a short time and that too is to be passed in parliament.

"Growth rate was above six per cent during the end of our tenure while inflation rate was 1.95 per cent," the former prime minister said, adding, "During the five years of our government, prices of essentials were stable. Now the situation has changed. People can hardly live with what they earn."

Meanwhile, the AL chief yesterday expressed her utter dissatisfaction to see excessive restrictions imposed by security personnel on the visitors to her Sudha Sadan residence.

While coming out of the residence for Shikdar hospital at about 11:20am, the AL chief noticed a local AL leader of Dhanmondi waiting in a wheel chair at the entrance as the on-duty policemen did not allow him to enter the house.

When an irked Hasina asked the on-duty Patrol Inspector Rajib to explain why they were not allowing visitors to meet her, he said it was due to orders from the government high-ups.

They were asked not to allow more than two persons at a time to enter the Sudha Sadan, Rajib added.