BNP slams fin minister for leaving the country

BNP yesterday formally turned down the national budget for 2020-21 fiscal year, saying it is  "unimplementable" during this time of Covid-19 pandemic.

"The budget is not implementable in any way. They [government] didn't say specially from where they would collect so much revenue. They couldn't even reach 50 percent of their revenue target last year," said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a virtual press conference, he also said the budget has not been a time-befitting one while country grapples with coronavirus pandemic.

"This budget is not acceptable in any way as they formulated it in a prototype bureaucrat format. So, we turn down this budget with hatred," said Fakhrul.

Earlier on Tuesday, parliament passed the Tk 568,000 crore national budget for the fiscal year 2020-21. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on June 11 placed the budget to attain an ambitious 8.2 percent GDP, which has been revised to 5.2 percent.

Fakhrul slammed the finance minister for going to London for treatment when people are going through serious ordeal in undergoing coronavirus tests and receiving proper treatment at ill-equipped hospitals.

"The Finance Minister went abroad when patients are dying for lack of treatment and oxygen support. It's nothing but a joke with people," Fakhrul said.

He said the government should have framed the budget for a period of exigency with the main focus on containing the virus and protecting people's health, lives and livelihoods.

Asked whether their party will engage in any protest programme against the budget, the BNP leader said it is difficult to announce any programme now amid the growing number of infections.

Fakhrul said 76 leaders and activists of BNP have so far died of coronavirus while many others have been infected.

He alleged that many programmes in the budget were not outlined with a universal approach as those have been taken only to protect the interests of particular quarters to nurture sectarianism under political patronage.

Fakhrul said the new budget will only increase the sufferings of people who are struggling due to Covid-19.

"This budget will push crores of hungry people who have become jobless due to coronavirus towards a famine, and it'll widen economic inequality... overall, the budget will widen the scope for those who indulge in plundering the country's assets.  So, we reject the budget," he said.

The BNP leader criticised the government for inadequate allocation in health and agriculture sectors and focusing on mega projects.

Fakhrul also opposed the government's move to impose fee on coronavirus testing, and said the step has been taken to discourage people from testing.