The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The current Parliament session resumes today at 4 pm after a four-day break following the passage of the national budget.

After the House of Parliament passed the Tk 113,819 crore budget for the new 2009-10 fiscal year on June 30--amid continued boycott of the session by the main opposition BNP-the session was adjourned until today.

The Awami League government's maiden budget outlines Tk 189,960 crore as gross expenditure, including revenue and development spending, and Tk 113,819 crore as net expenditure for the year that started on the first of July.

Food and Disaster Management Ministry has received the maximum allocation of Tk 12,946 crore in aggregate allocation for development and non-development sectors.

The Ministry of Defence received the second-highest allocation of Tk 8,199 crore followed by the Local Government Division with an allocation of Tk 7,934 crore.

Education Ministry received Tk 7,415 crore, Health Ministry Tk 7,000 crore, Primary and Mass Education Ministry Tk 6,617 crore, Home Ministry Tk 5,879 crore and the Power Division Tk 3,578 crore.

Earlier on June 29, Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina and Finance Minister AMA Muhith gave concluding speeches on the budget.

The finance bill ratifying the taxes and tariffs levied in the budget was also passed in the House that day, with revision of tax proposals for the mobile phone, newsprint, car and some other items.

The budget for FY10 has been formulated mainly in the light of the Awami League's election manifesto. Safety net, measures for facing aftermath of recession and attracting investment have been focused in the budget.