Jatiya Party president Hussain Muhammad Ershad has expressed his doubt about the success of proposed budget.
HM Ershad, also an especial envoy to the prime minister, on Saturday said, “[I] didn’t welcome [the budget], I’m still sceptical. Only the successful implementation of budget can resolve the doubt.”
Addressing a press conference at his Banai office in Dhaka in the afternoon, Ershad also protested at what the finance minister said about activities of the opposition party in Parliament.
Jatiya Party organised the press conference with a view to delivering its official reaction about the proposed budget. The leader of the opposition, Rawshan Ershad, also a Jatiya Party leader, however, was not present at the press conference.
Responding to a question about Rawshan Ershad’s absence, HM Ersahd said, “I’m the chair of the party. It’s my responsibility. I’m giving the reaction on behalf of her.”
Ershad demanded that the budget should be scrutinised in every detail. He termed the budget too dreamy to be implemented.
Pointing at Finance Minister AMA Muhith’s speech in which he termed the budget “high-ambitious”, Ershad said, “there is no problem with high-ambitious budget. We, however, don’t want the nation to be distracted by fancy.”
Ershad said nothing could be achieved, whether you make high ambitious or not, without good governance, political stability and expansion of democratic practices.
Earlier, on Thursday Finance minister, while delivering budget speech in Parliament, said, “however, this year we’ve the opposition party. It doesn’t matter in what form.” When journalists drew Ershad’s attention to the finance minister’s comment, the Jatiya Party president said, “that hurts us. The opposition party for the first time was present in the budget session. He [finance minister] should welcome this. We protest at his comment.”
JP general secretary Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, presidium member Syed Abu Hosen, SM Faisal Chisti and Abdur Sabur, among others, were present at the press conference.
Source: Prothom Alo