Experts call for at least 20% of national budget to be allocated for children
Experts have urged the government to allocate at least 20% of the upcoming national budget specifically for children, emphasising the urgent need to invest in their education, health, and protection.
The call was made during a daylong discussion titled "People-Centric Budget Thinking", organised by social platform Nagorik Bikash O Kalyan (Nabik) at the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka today (29 April).
In the first session focusing on child budgeting, speakers stressed that although children represent a significant portion of the population, national budgetary allocations for them remain inadequate.
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They demanded a substantial increase in allocations to ensure their development and well-being.
Education expert and Bangladesh Open University Assistant Professor Md Sabbir Hossain noted that Bangladesh allocates only 2–2.5% of its GDP to education, far below Unesco's recommended 4–6%.
He urged the government to increase the share in the 2025–26 fiscal year.
Health economist Dr Syed Abdul Hamid pointed out that Bangladesh's health spending, at just 0.47% of GDP, is among the lowest in South Asia. "Corruption and inefficiencies are holding us back from improving healthcare access, especially for children," he said.
AB Party Senior Vice President Professor Major (retd) Abdul Wahab Minar said, "A big budget means nothing if it leaks through the bottom like a bucket with a hole. We must focus on implementation."
He also stressed investing in youth health, citing that over 80% of the country's 2.5 million drug users are aged 15–30.
In his presidential address, former regional adviser to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Reform Commission member Professor Dr Mozaherul Haque emphasised that no nation can progress without a healthy population.
"Without a strong health system, economic development is not possible. Budget alone won't solve it—we need efficiency, transparency, and skilled administration," he said, also calling for health education to be integrated into school curricula.
The event was jointly supported by Bangladesh Co-Creation and Happy Ventures.
