Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said inflation in Bangladesh will come under control soon due to government’s various initiatives and a better outlook in the developed economies.
“Inflation is expected to come down significantly in 2024 in key economies including the US and the European Union,” she told the parliament in reply to a tabled question from opposition Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujibul Haque Chunnu, reports UNB.
She hoped that inflation will go down because of reduction in the prices of fuel, food products and fertilisers in the global market, adjustment of fuel oil prices and government initiatives to normalise the food supply situation.
The prime minister’s comments came during her question-answer session in the House.
She said Bangladesh is experiencing various economic crises due to the adverse impact on the global economy triggered by Russia-Ukraine conflict and war-related sanctions that started soon after Covid-19 pandemic.
“This has had a significant impact on inflation, subsidy expenditure, balance of trade, foreign exchange reserves and exchange rates,” she said.
In reply to another query from Independent MP (from Dhaka-19) Saiful Islam, the Leader of the House said that the country is feeling the pressure of imported inflation due to the increase in the prices of some products in the world market such as fuel oil, edible oil, wheat, fertilisers, various food products, consumer goods and industrial raw materials.
“The government is currently continuing all kinds of activities to keep the prices of consumer goods normal,” she told the lawmaker.
Answering to another query from Chunnu, the prime minister said necessary initiatives have been taken regarding the signing of Mutual Legal Assistance treaty/agreement with 10 countries aiming to receive necessary information, evidence and other required assistances to recover the money smuggled from Bangladesh, reports BSS.
To this end, she also said that a strategic paper on the recovery of laundered money has been prepared.
The strategic paper, after approval by the National Coordination Committee formed to prevent money laundering and financing of terrorist activities, has been sent to all relevant ministries, departments and agencies to implement the recommendations.
Sheikh Hasina said that money laundering through “hundi” or any other means is investigated by Criminal Investigation Department.
“In this regard, the law enforcement authorities of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit are increasingly communicating with their foreign counterparts for the purpose of mutual cooperation to recover money in cases of money laundering detected abroad,” she added.
Giving answer to another question from treasury bench lawmaker Nani Gopal Mondal, elected from Khulna-1, the Leader of the House said that the government has approved the "Bangladesh Offshore Model Production Sharing Contract 2023" designed to be modern and competitive to strengthen the country's offshore oil and gas exploration activities.
She disclosed, “Offshore bidding round will be announced soon.”
The prime minister said that a dredging concept paper has been prepared for excavating 491 rivers to restore the flow of rivers in Bangladesh.
According to the concept paper, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority under the Ministry of Shipping will excavate 178 rivers, while the Water Development Board will excavate 313 rivers, she told parliament.
