Photo : Collected
Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on Sunday said the shortage of foreign exchange reserves has been solved to a large degree in the country due to the high flow of inward remittances alongside the increase in export earnings.
“All sorts of confusion have gone away due to the improvement in the country’s economy,” he said while talking at a pre-budget meeting with members of the Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) at the finance ministry.
Mahmood said the perceptions of those who earlier thought Bangladesh would turn into Sri Lanka had proved wrong.
“There were doubts and confusions about the economy, but those have gone away. The representatives of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank came to us and said they are waiting for our proposals as they have no fund crisis,” said the minister.
Mahmood said getting such kind of assurance proves that there is no doubt and confusion about the economy. “We are preparing our budget this time the way it is prepared usually.”
Ruling out the apprehension of many people that Bangladesh would experience situations like Sri Lanka, he said, “We are still alive and going strong and working to prepare the next budget.”
The finance minister also said the country is moving ahead and all the commodities are available in line with consumers’ demand.
“Of course, prices of some products are increasing while that of some is declining. The country is moving ahead the way a country is run in a free market economy.”
ERF leaders headed by its President Mohammad Refayet Ullah Mirdha and General Secretary Abul Kashem handed the minister a set of budget proposals. Later, the minister assured the ERF leaders and its members of considering the proposals.
Messenger/Fameema
