Budget 2022-23 fit for addressing global challenges: Land Minister

Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury has described the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 as timely, feasible, and fit for addressing the challenges in the current global situation. 

He also said there is no constructive criticism about this budget such as other governments' budgets. 

"The appearing criticism is being made only for the sake of criticism," said the minister while addressing the Parliament Tuesday (21 June). 

Terming the budget as a fine, acceptable, and realistic budget, Saifuzzaman Chowdhury added that the current inflation is not because of Bangladesh's fault but the Covid pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

"Prices of all products, including fuel, have gone up abnormally. Even in developed countries, inflation has gone into double digits. But we are still in a much better position than that considering the inflation situation," he said. 

Saifuzzaman Chowdhury MP further said some people in Bangladesh cannot tolerate the country's betterment. 

Indicating the opposition, he said, "They dream that the country will become Sri Lanka. In reality, the situation in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is not the same. A large part of the Sri Lankan economy is dependent on the income of the tourism industry. The pandemic and terrorism have had a devastating effect on the Sri Lankan tourism industry." 

The land minister further said Bangladesh has become self-sufficient in food in the last 13 years and a food surplus country under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.