Ershad terms proposed budget a ‘worst one’

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad today termed the proposed budget for fiscal 2017-18 as a “worst one” and said that it would make people’s life “miserable.”

“Finance minister [AMA Muhith] has termed the budget as the best one in his life but in reality it was the worst budget,” Ershad said while taking part in a discussion on the proposed budget in the parliament.

He also said country’s mass people have termed the budget as “miserable for life”.

Sharing the experience of his recent visit in Rangpur, Ershad said while visiting his constituency, general people told him that they are living in hardship as price of coarse rice has become Tk 50 per kilogram and said the proposed budget would increase misery in their life.

Ershad also said the country's apex trade body Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and other trade bodies, rickshaw pullers, small traders--all are in panic since the proposed budget was placed.

“They termed this budget as the budget of darkness,” he said adding, “This budget stands on imagination.”

Pointing to widespread irregularities and corruption in banking sector, Ershad said the banking sector is suffering from ‘cancer’ as hundreds of crores of money was looted from banking sector.

He also came down heavily on the government for its failure to take action against those involved in Bangladesh Bank heist and scams in banking sector. He also urged the government to make public the names of those involved in the heist and scams in different government-run banks.

“People want to know the names of criminals involved in the looting,” he said.

Ershad also said share market has turned into a main centre of money looting.