Parliament passing budget

Dhaka, June 30 (bdnews24.com) —The parliament on Wednesday began the process of passing the budget for the next fiscal year in the absence of main opposition BNP.

The parliament convened at around 11am with speaker Abdul Hamid in the chair.

Processes were underway for resolution of 53 demands and hundreds of cut motions. The budget will be passed by voice vote after their resolutions.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, leader of the parliament, was present at the session.

Finance minister A M A Muith placed the annual outlay of Tk 1320 billion on June 10 in what was the second budget of the ruling Awami League-led Grand Alliance.

The budget session started on June 2. The BNP joined the first day of the budget session, but stayed away from the house since.

A total of 204 MPs took part in the discussion, which kicked off on June 15.

According to sources in the parliament secretariat, MPs discussed the budget for 38 hours and 44 minutes.

The parliament unanimously passed the Finance Bill-2010, which legalises all tax proposals made in the budget, on Tuesday.

The finance minister amended his proposed tax measures almost entirely in line with the recommendations of the prime minister.

He waived the 10 percent tax he had proposed earlier on government's saving certificates.

The bill included the implementation of government's financial proposals and amendments of some laws.

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