'Finance Minister has bowed down to bank looters'

The proposed budget will not reduce inequality, rather the finance minister is trying to appease “election sponsors”, said Kazi Firoz Rashid, presidium member of Jatiya Party.

“Bangabandhu did not bow down to the 22 rich families of Pakistan but Finance Minister AMA Muhith has bowed down to the bank looters through his proposed budget,” he said, while speaking at a budget discussion in the Parliament yesterday.

The proposed budget would not benefit the common man; it is to facilitate the rich, Rashid said.

Rashid also suggested that the finance minister should increase individual tax ceiling to Tk 3 lakh from the proposed Tk 2.5 lakh.

He said the Awami League government is in power for the last 10 years, and that is why it could undertake a number of mega projects.

“The proposed budget is big one and plundering of public money will also be big through this budget,” he said.

He also alleged that the finance minister has turned private banks into “family-owned” business.