Staff Reporter :If the government fails to meet the revenue target, how will it meet the budget deficit and implements long term projects? Asked Khandker Ibrahim Khaled, economist and former Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank at a view exchange meeting, adding that a vested group is trying to denationalise public banks.The view exchange meeting was held at the National Press Club organized by Samannay to discuss about the budget on Sunday.He also said that the Finance Minister AMA Muhith did not make it clear, as to how would he make improvement on the proposed projects?He said, employment is very important. But there was no clear direction in the budget speech about the employment of educated people. Samunnay Coordinator Dilruba Yeasmin Chowdhury presented the keynote paper. She said the budget is very large and the income is also vast. But the question is if the income falls short of target, what will the government do?She said also if the government implements the budget, then answer of every question will be found. But the feasibility of implementation of the budget was not found in the budget speech of the Finance minister.Dilruba Yeasmin Chowdhury said the Women Affairs sector got very little percentage from the proposed budget. The panel discussion was held after the presentation. Professor Dr. AKM Enamul Haque from East-West University and Senior Research Fellow of BIISS Dr. Mahfuz Kabir, among others, attended the discussion. They said, the proposed budget aims equality, but where are directions? It was just expression of hope. It was not the right way. Some of the speakers said, the income gap between the rich and the poor is increasing seriously. Some of them said the government should assure us of the social safety. It needs sufficient allotment. Speakers said, Annual Development Project is the document of the economic development of he country. If the country is economically developed, the poor people will get some benefits. So, the percentage of ADP in the whole budget and the processing of implementation thereof are very important, said the speakers.
