East West University hosts seminar on national budget
East West University hosted a seminar on the national budget for fiscal year 2026-27, focusing on priorities and perspectives, at its Aftabnagar campus in Dhaka on Thursday (25 June).
Distinguished economists analysed the potential impact of the budget on citizens, students, businesses, and the broader economic outlook.
Professor Dr Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, delivered the keynote address.
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He noted that the budget contains several positive measures, such as tariff reductions, to facilitate smoother export and business operations.
However, he cautioned that revenue collection has fallen short in the current fiscal year, making the additional 18 per cent target difficult to achieve.
He also raised concerns about rising debt-servicing costs and warned that Bangladesh could face long-term fiscal pressure when principal payments for major projects become due.
Professor Dr AK Enamul Haque, Director General of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, participated as a designated discussant.
He emphasised that curbing corruption is essential for the proposed budget's benefits to reach ordinary citizens.
He advised the government to implement initiatives that promote cashless transactions nationwide.
Professor Dr Mohammed Farashuddin, former Governor of Bangladesh Bank and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of East West University, welcomed the inclusion of provisions for elderly citizens in the budget.
However, he noted that the budget lacks specific measures to address growing inequality.
He further suggested that the government consider difficult decisions, such as extracting coal in Dinajpur, to mitigate the ongoing energy shortage.
Speakers underscored the need for effective budget implementation to achieve targets in education, employment, inflation control, graduation from least-developed-country status, and sustainable economic growth.
Faculty members, university officials, and a large number of students attended the seminar and participated in a question-and-answer session on budget-related issues.
