The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday took the responsibility of budget leakage on his own shoulder and said he had initiated an investigation to find out the culprits.

Muhith formed a committee comprising two secretaries in this regard.

"I enunciated many principles of the budget before my media friends to get feed back, which I also included later in the budget," Muhith told the post-budget press conference at the NEC auditorium.

"I also disclosed increasing tax on luxury items and health hazard items. Many took the advantage out of it," he said, replying to a question.

The Finance Minister expressed disappointment over the sorry state of governance and said secret official letters are being leaked when handed over by one official to another. "Some peons make copy of such papers immediately and sell it."

He said at the very early stage of his office he signed on a secret paper, but on the following day he found the text of the secret paper in a newspaper. "Where is the morality of the administration," he said, adding that he is trying hard to bring discipline in the administration.

Muhith said that before preparing the budget he never talked to any individual. He said he simply met with different associations as part of the budget preparations.