Jamaat presents Tk 839,505cr shadow budget for FY 2026-27

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami today unveiled a Tk 839,505 crore shadow budget, ahead of the national budget for the fiscal year 2026-27, placing emphasis on education, health, and social welfare.

The shadow budget was presented by Jamaat's Dhaka-12 MP Saiful Alam Khan Milon at an event titled "People-Oriented Budget Proposal 2026-2027", held at Al-Falah Auditorium in Dhaka's Moghbazar.

The proposed budget sets a revenue target of Tk 665,926 crore, leaving a projected deficit of Tk 168,329 crore, equivalent to 2.43 percent of GDP.

Milon said the proposal is based on equality, justice, and human dignity, aiming to establish a welfare state. He alleged that corruption, political patronage, and money laundering have weakened Bangladesh’s economic foundation, suggesting that recovering laundered money could help bridge the deficit.

Among the reforms, Jamaat proposed using the National Identity card as a Tax Identification Number, replacing the current TIN system, and introducing a “Smart Social Security Number” to expand the tax net.

The party also recommended raising the tax-free income threshold for individuals from Tk 450,000 to Tk 500,000, alongside tax rebates for educational expenses.

Under social safety nets, the proposal includes raising allowances for old-age, widow, and disability beneficiaries, as well as mother and child assistance, from Tk 650-900 to Tk 1,000 initially, with a gradual increase to Tk 3,000.

It also suggests monthly honorariums of Tk 7,500 for imams, Tk 5,000 for muezzins, and Tk 3,000 for mosque caretakers nationwide.

The shadow budget further recommends a new pay scale for government employees, with a 100 percent salary adjustment for grades 10-20 and an 80 percent adjustment for grades 1-9.

In terms of allocations, public administration received the highest priority at Tk 202,245 crore, followed by Tk 125,575 crore for education and technology, Tk 127,500 crore for debt servicing, Tk 65,340 crore for transport and communication, Tk 51,670 crore for agriculture, Tk 48,150 crore for social security and welfare, Tk 45,240 crore for health, and Tk 45,220 crore for local government and rural development.

Addressing the programme as chief guest, Jamaat Ameer and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman stressed that honesty, transparency, and accountability are essential for both budget formulation and implementation. He criticised political interference in financial institutions and the current tax collection system, arguing that revenue could increase significantly if businesses were given a transparent and harassment-free environment.

He also proposed aligning the fiscal year with the calendar year to avoid waste and corruption during monsoon disruptions and called for supplementary budgets to be presented three months before the end of the fiscal year to ensure parliamentary oversight.

The event was moderated by Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, head of Jamaat’s publicity and media department, and attended by leaders from Jamaat and other parties, including National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam, AB Party General Secretary Asaduzzaman Fuad, Jagpa President Tasmia Pradhan, and Jamaat leaders Mia Golam Porwar, ATM Azharul Islam, Mujibur Rahman, and Hamidur Rahman Azad.