Home ›› 18 Apr 2022 ›› Front
During a discussion on the upcoming national budget, representatives from disadvantaged communities emphasized the importance of protecting poor and lower-middle income people from rising food prices.
They also stated that the economic, educational, and health losses caused by the pandemic should be prioritized in the forthcoming national budget.
The recommendations were made on Sunday at Citizen’s Platform for SDGs Bangladesh’s virtual debate titled “Upcoming National Budget 2022-2023: Perspectives of the Disadvantaged Groups.”
Discussants said the Covid-19 pandemic has had national and international ramifications. The crisis in Ukraine came as a shock to the world as it was planning to offset the losses. Bangladesh is also suffering as a result.
Essential commodity prices have risen dramatically in Bangladesh’s domestic market.
Indeed, supply chain disruptions on a global and national scale have driven up the cost of basic needs, putting them out of reach for low and lower-middle income people, they added.
In this context, overall public spending should be raised, particularly in the areas of agriculture, education, employment, health, and social safety net programs, they recommended.
Economist Debapriya Bhattacharya, convenor of Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh said that the general public should have the opportunity to respond prior to the actual budget if a draft of the budget or budget policy is shared.
“To stimulate the economy, a tailored expansionary monetary policy is now required. However, given the existing state of income mobilization and governmental expenditure, the goal should be to provide direct cash and food support to the poorest individuals in particular,” he said
“To this purpose, a comprehensive data set for the incentives offered is required to assure accountability,” added the economist.
“Proper child budget analysis is needed as nine ministries are engaged in child protection, ensuring quality education, nutrition benefits,” said Tony Michael Gomes, director (Technical Program, Advocacy and Communications), World Vision Bangladesh.
Khandekar Jahurul Alam, executive director, Centre for Services and Information on Disability (CSID) specified that education, health and employment are the three areas where persons with disabilities have been most affected.
Mostofa Ali, senior program officer, Oxfam in Bangladesh, said that the agriculture budget should be farmer-friendly and include the farmers.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad’s Joint General Secretary Shima Moslem emphasized the importance of developing women’s political, economic and human rights in order to bring them into the mainstream level.
“Adopting the essential policy-framework measures to promote free inclusion in the labour market, as well as a financial allocation for transgender community empowerment and protection, are required,” said Robaet Ferdous, professor of mass communication and journalism at Dhaka University.
The dialogue was also attended by experts, civil society members, international development partners, and media representatives.
