The path to the 54th budget of an independent Bangladesh

Since independence, 53 budgets have been presented by 14 finance ministers or officials for governments ranging from the military to the democratic

The front page of the Bangla-language newspaper Dainik Bangla shows a report on the first budget of an independent Bangladesh, presented by then finance minister Tajuddin Ahmad in parliament on Jun 30, 1972.

Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali will present the 54th budget of Bangladesh to parliament on Thursday, carrying on a tradition that started when Tajuddin Ahmad announced a budget of Tk 7.86 billion in 1972. However, the new finance minister’s budget will be closer to the range of Tk 8 trillion.

The budget proposal for the fiscal year 2024-25 will be presented to parliament on Thursday afternoon and passed on Jun 30 ahead of the start of the new fiscal year on Jul 1.

It will be Mahmood Ali’s first budget as finance minister and the 16th consecutive budget of the Awami League government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Since independence, 53 budgets have been presented by 14 finance ministers or officials (including finance advisers or martial law administrators) for governments ranging from the military to the democratic.

The record for most budgets is held jointly by two late finance ministers – Mohammad Saifur Rahman and Abul Maal Abdul Muhith – both of whom presented 12 budgets across three terms.

Finance Minister Mahmood Ali has titled the budget: 'Pledge to Build a Happy, Prosperous, Advanced and Smart Bangladesh'.

The budget outlay for the outgoing fiscal year 2023-24 was nearly Tk 7.62 trillion. It was later revised down to Tk 7.14 trillion.

The 54th budget of Bangladesh is expected to have an outlay of around Tk 7.97 trillion.