Sheikh Hasina has threatened the private banks with tough actions if they do not lower the rates of interest they charge to lend to or below 9 percent. 

Transparency International, Bangladesh, or TIB, has come down hard at the government for proposing scopes to legalise undisclosed income in the 2019-20 national budget.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue says the proposed budget is full of promises, with no specific ways to implement it.

BGMEA President Rubana Huq has said she is “70 percent happy” with the proposed national budget for the next fiscal year. 

Smart budget? Far from it. Is it packed with surprises? Not really.

Sheikh Hasina will hold a media briefing on budget at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka at 3pm Friday for the first time, as Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has been taken ill.

The DCCI has hailed the government’s decision to implement the long-awaited VAT Act, 2012 in fiscal year 2020, terming it ‘a timely initiative.’

Analysts have questioned the “absence” of any clear plans in AHM Mustafa Kamal’s maiden budget to tackle the mounting default loans and lack of discipline in banks.