New budget to add to people's woes

The proposed budget that increased the tax net and rates will add to the woes of the masses who are trying to cope with the rising prices of essentials, some left-leaning political parties and workers' organisations observed yesterday.
Terming the budget a charter to protect the interests of the society's affluent section, they said the scope to whiten black money will only benefit the corrupt.
Communist Party of Bangladesh, in a press statement, said the budget will fuel the prevailing discrimination between the rich and the poor.
“Inflation and unemployment will make the common peoples' livelihoods vulnerable,” it said.
Workers' Party of Bangladesh said increasing the minimum tax from Tk 2,000 to 3,000 will do injustice to the masses.
There were no special measures to help achieve a GDP growth of 7.2 percent. The GDP would continue to stay at the current year's 6.3 percent, said the party in a statement.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith did not address any of the economic and political issues that affected people but defended the measures (regarding the power and energy sectors) that made the economy vulnerable, it added.
Though safety net measures meant for people below the poverty line were maintained, the government ignored many important issues.
These include implementation of the workers' wage commission, rationing for garment workers and the poor, reduction of urea prices, ensuring fair price of farm produce for farmers and nationalisation of primary education, it said.
Bangladesh National Awami Party-Bangladesh NAP said the budget had no significant measures to create employment but elements which will increase the inflation rate.
There is also the indication of a fuel price hike, which will increase people's expenditures, said the party in a statement.
Bikalpadhara Bangladesh President Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury said the government will fail to implement the “conventional” budget due to administrative inefficiency.
Addressing a programme in the capital, he slammed the deficit budget of Tk 52,000 crore, which the government plans to get from banks that are already in bad shape.
Revolutionary Workers' Party of Bangladesh said reduction of subsidies in agriculture and the rural development sector will affect the country's food security.
Bangladesh National Awami Party said the scope for whitening black money will encourage corruption and illegal means of income while the deficit budget will create anarchy in the financial sector.
Democratic Revolutionary Party said the budget did not address ways to curb the rising prices of essentials that are crippling the common peoples' lives.
Construction of hospitals and low cost dormitories in industries and ensuring free treatment and due wages for workers were overlooked in the budget, said Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad.
Swadhin Bangla Garments Sramik Karmachari Federation, at a rally before Jatiya Press Club, demanded introduction of rationing and healthcare facilities for garment workers.