Redesign stimulus packages for SMEs: experts at IBFB-BEI webinar

The stimulus packages for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) should be expanded and redesigned in the next budget considering the Covid-19 pandemic situations, experts said in a webinar today.

The implementation of the annual development programme (ADP) is also a big concern as many projects remain incomplete and allocations for the projects remain unused despite the end of a fiscal year, they said.

International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) and Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) jointly organised the webinar titled "National Budget for 2021-22: Private Sector Perspective".

While presenting the keynote paper at the webinar, Towfiqul Islam Khan, senior research fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said there was a big concern that most of the SMEs cannot use the stimulus package.

The stimulus packages need to be expanded and redesigned in view of the experience, he said. "We should be given special attention at that place."

He said the budget documents do not provide a consolidated and comprehensive update in the number of critical areas for stimulus packages.

It was not mentioned about how much money has been set aside for the implementation of the packages for FY22, and there is no mention of whether there will be any changes in the implementation modality because of the experience of the past year, Khan said.

Expressing concern over the implementation of ADP, speakers said the kind of stagnation that is seen in government spending is the biggest concern in terms of budget implementation.

Addressing as the chief guest, Planning Minister MA Mannan summarised some points of the speakers and assured them that he will convey the key messages to the authorities concerned.