Poor expect indication of price control in budget

Staff Correspondent: Due to the increase in the price of daily necessities, the lower classes including day laborers, rickshaw pullers are now struggling to bring bread and salt. In this situation, Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali is going to present a budget of around Tk 8 lakh crore in front of the nation on June 6 to build a happy, prosperous, developed and smart Bangladesh. The main objective of this budget will be to control inflation. Despite not understanding the complex calculation of inflation, the working people demand that the price of goods should decrease in the future and that the price of any product should not increase again. For this, the steps that should be taken should be taken in the next budget.
They say that every year the prices of various products increase after the budget. The most stressed are the low income earners. Currently, prices of all types of daily necessities including rice, dal, oil are high. In this situation, if the prices of daily necessities increase again after the budget, the suffering of the low income people will increase. In order to give relief to the low income people, the price of daily necessities including rice, dal, oil should be reduced. Such measures should be taken so that the prices of these products do not increase after the budget.
What the government officials are saying about the upcoming budget, the common people may be able to breathe some relief. Because the officials are talking about increasing the social security program in the next budget to get out of the impact of inflation. Along with this, it is being said to give top priority to inflation control.
However, it is a matter to be seen how much the next budget reflects the expectations of the working people who are the biggest representatives of the society.
He has been driving a rickshaw in Dhaka city for more than five years, Bashir Mia when asked what is expected in the next budget, he said, “I don’t understand what the budget is, Bapu.” We want to live well with family. Our only demand is to reduce the price of goods. What we want is that we can buy rice, pulses, oil, potatoes and vegetables at low prices.
Bashir Mia said, “Now things are very expensive. All the money that I earn by driving a rickshaw all day is spent. There is not much money at the end of the month. Always thinking how to increase income. Where is our time to think about the budget?’
Saiful Islam, another rickshaw driver, said, “Once I lived in Dhaka with my family. Almost all of the income earned by driving a rickshaw is spent on housing and food. Boys and girls go to school, the cost of studying in Dhaka is high. I could not meet the expenses due to the increased price of the goods. Because of this, I sent everything to the family village three years ago.
When asked about the budget, Saiful Islam said, “Every year after the budget, the prices of various items increase. When the price of goods increases, common people like us suffer more. We don’t want too much. We are happy if we can eat dal and rice in peace. So, our only demand is to take steps to ensure that prices of goods do not increase again after the next budget. Besides, we want initiatives to be taken to reduce the prices of daily necessities including rice, pulses.
The rickshaw puller Bashir Mia and Saiful Islam demanded to take initiatives to reduce the price of daily essential products including rice, pulses, oil, clothing.
Not only them, Daily Industry has spoken to at least 50 people who work as van-rickshaw drivers, vegetable sellers, garment workers and construction workers in the last few days. Everyone has demanded that steps should be taken to ensure that the prices of daily necessities, especially rice, pulses, oil, vegetables, do not increase after the next budget.
Garment worker Ayesha Khatun said, “It has become difficult for low-income people to survive in Dhaka. The price of rice, pulses, oil and vegetables has been high for a long time. Now a kg of potatoes in the market is Tk 60. It is becoming difficult to eat bharta, dal, rice with the salary we get. Eating fish and meat is like a luxury for us. In this situation, our only request is to take initiative to reduce the price of rice, dal, oil, potato and onion. We have no additional demands. I am happy if I can eat three meals full with my boys and girls.’
Selling vegetables in various areas in the van Milan said, “Many people come to the market and buy one or two vegetables.” People who buy more vegetables at once are very few now. Most of those who buy one or two vegetables buy one poa (250 grams). We are not in a good position either. Due to the increased cost of goods, sales also decrease. As a result, the income has also decreased.
“If the prices of rice, pulses, oil, potatoes and onions are low, people of low income like us are happy. We don’t want car, house, bag money. I am happy if I can eat with my family. We do not understand what happens in the budget. We have only one demand from the government, so that the price of goods does not increase. The big guys don’t have a problem if the price goes up. Therefore, the prices of those products which are used only by big people should be increased.’ said vegetable seller Milan.
Meanwhile, according to sources in the Ministry of Finance, this time a plan has been taken to give a contractionary budget. Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali can present a budget of Tk 796,900 crore for the fiscal year 2024-25 in front of the nation on June 6. The main goal of this budget will be to control inflation, titled ‘Commitment to building a happy, prosperous, developed and smart Bangladesh’.
Social protection programs may be extended to overcome inflation shocks. At the same time, there may be an analysis of the impact of climate change on the economy, during the presentation of this year’s budget. Plans are also being made to bring more people under tax net to increase revenue. For this reason, some new cases may be imposed.
Recently, about the budget of 2024-25 fiscal year, Minister of State for Finance Wasika Ayesha Khan said that there is a problem of inflation and inflation around the world. Bangladesh is not out of them. The proposed budget will be given maximum importance to solve this problem.
Minister of State for Finance said, ‘For agricultural products and food security, maximum subsidy is given on fertilizers, seeds etc. Electricity is also provided. Sheikh Hasina’s government is working seriously for food aid. In the budget of the next fiscal year (2024-25), the social security program has been increased to overcome the impact of inflation.