Most of the commoners in Chattogram, especially the low-income group or the commonest of commons, have no idea about the proposed national annual budget.
They are worried about unusual hiking of prices of essentials, including staple foods and medicine, by traders and hoarders who do so ahead of announcement of every budget each year.
Many ordinary people have criticised a proposal to increase prices of some medicines amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Asked about the new budget announced by the government on June 11, Shah Alam, a rickshaw-puller in the port city, said, he had no idea about budget.
"What is a budget, I actually do not know. I heard that the government has taken a decision in the parliament to increase the prices (of day-to-day necessities)," he said.
"But from now, the prices of essentials which had already been increased, will go further up," he feared.
Momota Chowdhury, a school teacher said, an annual budget is very necessary for a nation, but a budget in Bangladesh preserves the interest of rich segment of the society.
"We need special budget for health sector. I think the top brass in the government should be concerned about the interest of citizens most," she added.
Shahnur Begum, a housewife told The Financial Express that the government needs to control the price hike. She said she was very frustrated over the continuous price hike.
Like every year, the essentials would get dearer after announcement of budget, she said. "I believe that the new budget will not solve this problem," she added.
Another housewife Nur Sultana Begum, told the FE that before announcement of the budget, the rates of public transport fare had substantially increased. Prices of other essentials had also increased a few days before the budget, she said adding "How, can the budget arrest the price hike?"
Abdul Karim, a service holder said, the world budget provokes fear in the minds of common people essentials get costlier before or after a budget every year. "It is true that our budget is not for the common people. But the business community will be the most benefited by the budget," he added.
Nurul Absar, a former student leader said, "The budget deprived the education sector. There is no adequate allocation for the public educational institutes." He said, most of the city-dwellers urged the government to control the price hike and not to impose any taxes that would hurt the poor or middle-class.
Songita Chowdhury, a student said, "I do not fully read the new budget. "But, as a student, I think, a budget should be pro-people," she viewed.
Abul Kalam, a shopkeeper said, "Rich people have interests about a budget. "But, we urged the government to make the new budget people-friendly," he said.
Mohammed Muhit Ul Alam, a government service holder, said, "We are government employees. So, we have no comment about budget. But, I hope that the finance minister and the government will do better for the people in the budget," he added.
Biplob Chowdhury, an employee at C & F agent office, said, "We urged the finance minister not to raise import taxes as an increase in tax on imported goods would make our business dull," he mentioned.
Shamsul Islam, a trader at a poultry market in the port city, said, every year people hope that government would do something better for them. But people get unhappy in every budget as they suffer the worst following a budget. "Now people have become habituated to get such types of budget. Every year, ruling party say that their budget is a good one but the opposition term it the worst one," he observed.
A few other people in the city expected that the government would do the needful for betterment of the all strata of the society before the new budget is implemented.
