Per capita debt stood at Tk 40,216 in Bangladesh

Staff Correspondent: According to Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, the per capita debt of the people of the country is $ 364.85 (Tk 40 thousand 216, one dollar is Tk 110.23). He said that the status of foreign debt till June 2023 is $62,312.71 million (temporary). Out of which multilateral $36,781.03 million and bilateral $25,531.68 million.
The finance minister gave this information in response to Haji Md. Selim’s question On Tuesday (October 31).
The finance minister said, according to the data of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, according to the country’s population of 170.79 million, the current per capita debt amount is $364.85.
According to the information given by the minister, the highest amount is $19,536.82 million from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is $14,114.89 million, the third highest is $10,999.98 million, from Russia $5,899.98 million, from China Bangladesh borrowed $5,374.15 million, AIIB $1,504.12 million, $1,299.35 million from India.
In the fiscal year 2022-23, $935.66 million have been paid for interest and $1,734.56 million for principal, said the finance minister.
He said that in the current fiscal year (2023-24), there is a budget of $1,900 million for interest and $2,375 million for principal.
In response to Jatiya Party Member of Parliament Masiur Rahman Rangan’s question, the finance minister said that in 5 years (2019-23), airport customs recovered 1,408 kg of gold. The estimated value of which is Tk 1,226 crores.
He said that 1,272.10 kg of recovered gold has been deposited in Bangladesh Bank. Out of which 109.76 kg in the permanent sector (no claimant) and 1,161.34 kg in the temporary sector (there is a claimant).
In response to Mosiur Rahman Rangan’s question, the finance minister also said that a loan commitment of $300 million has been received from the World Bank for a project till October of the current financial year. At the same time loan assistance of $ 910 million was received from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for 4 projects.
In response to the question of Member of Parliament of Noakhali-2 Constituency Morshed Alam, the Minister said that there is no program called Poverty Alleviation Program under Bangladesh Bank. However, there is a sector of credit distribution called ‘Poverty Alleviation’ in the Agricultural Credit Policy and Program issued by Bangladesh Bank.
Bhola-3 Constituency Member of Parliament Nurunnabi Chowdhury, in response to a question, AHM Mustafa Kamal said that the number of tax identification number holders in the country till September this year is 93,46,869. As per Income Tax Act-2023 spot tax assessment has been abolished.
In response to the question of Mahfuzur Rahman, Member of Parliament of Chittagong-3 Constituency, he said that the number of individual tax payers in the country till June 2023 is 89 lakh 53 thousand 206 people. The National Board of Revenue has taken several steps to increase tax payers. Out of this, 43 services have been made mandatory to show evidence in return submission. Increasing new taxpayers through internal and external survey activities.
In response to the question of Mymensingh 11 Constituency Government Party Member of Parliament Kazim Uddin Ahmed, the finance minister said that according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) standards, the country’s current gross reserve is $21,116.59 million as of October 12 of this month.
He said that as a result of the increase in the prices of various products including fuel oil in the international market, the amount of remittances including the increase in import costs, etc., the foreign exchange reserves have decreased compared to before, but no deficit has been created.
In response to the question of Jatiya Party Member of Parliament Syed Abu Hussain Babla, the finance minister said that price inflation has increased as a result of Ukraine-Russia war and war-related sanctions. Foreign exchange reserves have declined and there has been some pressure on the exchange rate. The government has taken various steps to reduce inflation and restructure reserves.
In response to a question from Benazir Ahmad, a member of parliament of the government party, the minister said that in the fiscal year 2022-23, the per capita national income in Bangladesh stood at $2,765 (temporary calculation). Per capita national income in 2005-6 and 2007-8 was $ 543 and $ 868 respectively. In this, per capita national income has increased more than five times compared to the fiscal year 2005-6.