The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said a national service programme will be introduced in the next fiscal year to appoint to the public services for two years the students who will complete higher secondary education.

"A budgetary allocation will be made in the next budget for this purpose," he told a press briefing at NEC conference room, adding that the programme will be launched in 2-3 upazilas in fiscal 2009-10 and would be expanded gradually.

Of the two-year service, the employees will be provided with necessary training for six months to prepare themselves for serving people and later they would decide whether they would go for higher studies or continue the services. As per the planned programme, he said the students would be employed in any of the public services from defense to agriculture. This is mandatory in many countries that every citizen will provide services to the state for a certain period, he added.

"This part of the government's commitment to create employment opportunities," said the Finance Minister, replying to a question. "The measure is being taken as a reflection of the government's pre-election commitment."

The briefing was arranged to inform about the outcome of the Annual Conference of Islamic Development Bank (IDB) during June 2-3 in Turkmenistan, where the Minister led a 3-member Bangladesh delegation.

Muhith said one day the country will be free from begging as a profession and the government to this effect would start working on it from the next fiscal through budgetary allocation. The fund would be spent on conducting survey in this regard.

Replying to another question, Muhith said the growth in the budgetary allocation estimated for the next fiscal year would not have been possible had there been a massive impact of the global recession on the economy.

He said the size of the budget became larger due to provision for overcoming recession impact, and the government's election commitment to create employments and give social protection.

In response to a question, he would not reveal the GDP growth target for the next fiscal year, but said the GDP growth would be 5.9 percent during the current fiscal year.

Asked about the price hike of luxury items, including cars, much ahead of even placing the budget before Parliament, the Finance Minister said: "It happens before every budget."

The Finance Minister said the budget 2009-10, to be placed in parliament on June 11, will be discussed in the House until June 30.

He said he could not prepare the budget a little early offering Parliament a little bit of more time to discuss the budget. "The BDR carnage held back the preparations."

Turning to the IDB outcome, the Finance Minister said IDB president Ahmad Mohammad Ali assured Bangladesh on the sidelines of the meeting of providing a loan of US$ 130 million to finance the construction of the Padma Bridge.

He said they would also consider further assistance in this regard upon completion of the final estimate of the bridge construction cost.

The Finance Minister said Bangladesh also signed a loan agreement with IDB worth US$ 18 million to improve rural households with solar systems. IDCOL will implement the project under the loan agreement.