Business Desk :
On Saturday 11th June, a newly established organization called ‘Center for Inclusive Development Dialogue (CIDD)’ organized a discussion meeting on ‘Proposed 2022-23 Budget’ at a local club in Dhaka. The chief guest of the function was Mr. MA Mannan, MP, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Mr. Syed Nuruddin Ahmed, Managing Trustee of the organization in his welcome address highlighted the ideals and objectives of CIDD and said, “We want inclusive development. The organization has undertaken research and practice-based programs and activities with the challenge of making the government, concerned agencies and the people aware of that ideology as well as influencing the government to make necessary refinements, enhancements and changes in the areas of inclusion in public policies.
CIDD Secretary General and Southeast University Vice Chancellor, Dr AFM Mafizul Islam presented the keynote address, “We want an inclusive development budget in the face of inflation.” He said that in the next 2022-23 financial year, high inflation may occur. As a reason, he said, Bangladesh is not able to import wheat from Russia and Ukraine now as well as fertilizer from Russia and Belarus. Money is depreciating against the dollar. Prices of imported raw materials are rising, and so does the shipping cost. More floods are coming than usual. The Great Depression is appearing in the world. If these data are combined, it is clear that in the fiscal year 2022-23, there could be a sharp rise in inflation.
Referring to David Beasley, the head of the UN’s food program, he said that despite rising food prices this year, there is still food in the market, but there could be food shortages next year. In the situation that may arise, the most affected will be the poor, the unemployed, the elderly, the widows and the oppressed women, the husband abandoned women, the hijras, the Vedas and the backward classes. He questioned who would take responsibility for the situation. As far back as the mid-nineties, the state never took responsibility for them. Originally in the late nineties, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, the state began to take more responsibility for the welfare of these citizens. That’s when programs like old age allowance and widow allowance were introduced. Subsequent budgets gradually increase the scope and benefits of these programs and add new programs targeting various at-risk groups in society. This time the finance minister himself said (Prothom Alo, June 9), poor people are in trouble. Keeping their words in mind, the scope and allocation of social protectionhave been increased. In the budget for the next 2022-23 fiscal year, 122 issues or programs have been mentioned under the social protection, and the allocation has been increased by Tk 18,000 crore in just one-and-a-half years. Such a move to include the underprivileged in the budget is no less important.
There is no doubt that the government is doing a very good job. Despite this, realizing the awfulness of the imminent high inflation, keeping the budget of the next 2022-23 fiscal year in front of Dr. Mafizul Islam has made some recommendations. The monthly allowance of elderly persons, widows and husbands oppressed women, disabled and indigent persons belonging to Vedic and backward communities should be increased from Tk500 to Tk.1000 per person and disability allowance from Tk750 to Tk 1500.
