Budget to encourage corruption: Fakhrul

The proposed budget will encourage corruption, said opposition BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday.

Speaking at a discussion organised by Sonali Dal, a forum of pro-BNP teachers from Bangladesh Agriculture University, he criticised the budget, describing it as a tool for "whitening black money."

"This budget is designed for corruption," Mr Fakhrul said at the event held at Dhaka Reporters Unity. "Allocations have been made in the transport sector because it's easy to commit corruption there."

He claimed that the government is sustaining itself on lies, arguing that all the statistics presented are fabricated.

The BNP secretary general labelled the budget as "unprecedented" and questioned its impact on employment. "Where is the employment in this budget? Those who used to do small businesses or jobs in Dhaka are returning to their villages. But there are no jobs in the villages either."

BNP Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo and Dhaka South BNP Convenor Abdus Salam also spoke at the event.