Govt able to implement FY24 budget: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said her government will be able to implement the Tk 7,61,785 crore national budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 as they have shown their capacity earlier.

“We have placed the biggest size of national budget in the history of the country and we are determined to implement this budget. We can implement it and the Awami League can do it,” she said.

The prime minister said this while addressing the commissioning ceremony of the new intercity train “Chilahati Express” on the Chilahati-Dhaka-Chilahati route.

Virtually joining the event, which was held at Chilahati railway station in Nilphamari, from her official residence Ganabhaban in Dhaka, she said many people would say many things (about this budget), but “we, Awami League, know about this country’s well-being and its people also.”

In 2006 during the BNP regime, the size of the budget was only Tk 61,000 crore, Sheikh Hasina said, adding, “But our government unveiled a Tk 7,61,785 crore national budget on June 1 last.”

She said a group of people are availing the option of several number of televisions, which licenses were given to the private sector by the Awami League government, always criticise whatever the government does and find “but” (flaws) there, sitting in air-conditioned rooms.

They also spread some words to disappoint the people and talk against Bangladesh before the foreigners, she said, adding, “But what they get from it, I do not know, they may collect some hadia [money] which actually I cannot say, they get satisfaction talking against Bangladesh.”

About the people who used to say that it is not possible for the government to implement after placing the national budget every year, she said the government does it and shows it through implementation.

“I want to say to these types of people that please keep in mind what you said last year and where today’s Bangladesh has come from, please calculate and compare it.”

Sheikh Hasina said the price of each product across the globe has been raised due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukraine-Russia war and sanction-counter sanctions.