General Secretary of Awami League and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that we have no problem with what CPD, TIB, Sujan said. They are all talking in tune with BNP. There is no similarity with reality. Tariq Rahman, the fugitive leader of BNP who was convicted of smuggling thousands of rupees, is living comfortably in London. Account of money laundering should be given to Mirza Fakhrul Sahib.
Awami League organized a press conference on the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 at the Awami League’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on Saturday (June 8). Obaidul Quader said these things in response to the response of CPD, TIB, Sujan.
In response to the proposed budget, the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said that the government could not show commitment in this year’s budget. An opportunity to whiten black money has been given. It is in conflict with the election manifesto of Awami League.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) says that the opportunity to whiten black money is an enabler of corruption. Besides creating a culture of discouraging individual taxpayers with honest and legitimate income, such facility of turning black money into white with only 15 percent tax and not allowing any authority to question the money and assets declared under it, it is feared that it will play a role in creating a liberal environment conducive to corruption in the country.
Obaidul Quader said, Awami League welcomed the proposed budget as modest, realistic, people-oriented and courageous during the internal and international economic crisis. The main objective of this year’s budget is to remove the ongoing economic uncertainty and crisis and to bring the country’s economy back to the path of high dynamic economic development gradually by controlling high inflation.
General Secretary of Awami League said that there is no precedent for finance ministers of Awami League running around with alms bags despite giving a budget of around 8 lakh crore rupees. BNP today talks big, talks about money laundering, corruption and swallowing the country. The last budget during their tenure was 68 thousand crore rupees. However, before the budget, Saifur Rahman had to run with a begging bag to the Paris Consodium meeting at various world economic forums. No finance minister of ours went begging.
As always, the bridge minister answered the question about the rationale of keeping black money white in the next budget. He said, to protect the country from money laundering, those who unknowingly smuggle the country’s money have made arrangements to bring undisclosed money into the mainstream of the economy by paying 15 percent tax. As a result, I think the flow of money in the banking channel will increase.
Awami League presidium member Kamrul Islam, Dr. Central Awami League leaders including Mustafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Joint General Secretary Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif, Organizing Secretary BM Mozammel Haque, Sujit Roy Nandi, Publicity and Publication Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, Department Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Sub Department Secretary Advocate Sayem Khan were present.
SUJ/MAH/ASM
