Budget unrealistic, impossible to curb inflation this way: CPD

The think tank Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in an instant statement on Thursday termed that budget as ambitious and unrealistic.

In the context of the ongoing crisis, the macroeconomic projections announced in the budget are illusionary and unattainable.

CPD Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun said, “It is impossible to curb inflation and bridle the price hike with the measures that have been announced in the budget.”

But the imposition of the minimum charge of Tk 2,000 on individuals whose earnings fall below the taxable income to receive 38 services is unwise, Fahmida Khatun said.

"There was no adequate initiative in the budget to exempt duty from the daily essentials that we import," she added.

However, the CPD praised the proposition of increasing the tax-free income limit to Tk 3.5 lakh from the existing Tk 3 lakh for individual taxpayers for the 2023-24 fiscal year.