The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The visiting Asian Development Bank (ADB) director general for South Asia Khunio Senga on Monday said the bank will initially provide Bangladesh with $ 130 million as budgetary support to the coming fiscal 2008-09.

He made the disclosure after a meeting with Finance Adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam at his secretariat office here. ADB Country Director Hua Du was present on the occasion.

Khunio Senga, however, indicated that the ADB budgetary support for the next fiscal is expected to rise and may hit a $ 200-million mark. The fund will be available from July when the next budget will come into force.

Responding to a question, the finance adviser said he did not agree with the FBCCI proposal to allow regularization of irregular income without paying an additional punitive rate of interest.

Persons having irregular income will have to pay the penalty if they want to legalize the fund and use it, he said.