Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB)has applauded for not re-announcing the opportunity to whitening black money in the proposed budget for the current financial year.
Besides, the organization is also drawing attention to the fact that this discriminatory and unconstitutional benefit to honest taxpayers should not be included in the Income Tax Ordinance in any other way. Similarly, TIB has expressed concern over the lack of a clear roadmap to ensure transparency and prevention of corruption in the overall budget implementation, not just the increase in allocations to critical sectors such as the health sector to control Covid-19.
TIB executive director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman in a statement on Thursday (June 3)said, "Despite strong objections and protests from all quarters, the decision of the Finance Minister not to renew the black money in the forthcoming budget can be taken as an understanding of the government." In this case, we believe that the authorities will not continue to use this unethical benefit in the end by undermining the legal status of the Income Tax Ordinance or under the pressure of vested interests, while respecting the Prime Minister's statement of 'zero tolerance against corruption'. "
At this time of corona the overall welfare of the people, the partnership and the necessary to save the lives of the necessary budget. Zaman added, “In the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2021-2022, the allocation for the health sector has been increased to Tk. 33,000 crore (which is about 7 per cent of the total budget), but it is still much less than what is needed. According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, the cost of medical care in the country is 74 per cent as against the government's 26 per cent, which is a shame for Bangladesh as a signatory to the UN Universal Declaration of Health.
Again, due to persistent corruption and lack of fair spending capacity, there is a strong risk that this allocation will not be spent properly, from which there is no clear roadmap in the budget, which is disappointing. However, there is no alternative to overhauling the unimaginable and skyrocketing corruption in the health sector in recent years. ”
However, he praised the government's investment in vaccination activities to prevent the transmission of corona in the country and the allocation of 10 thousand crore to corona. Zaman said, “Allocation is not enough to deal with corona. In this case, the process of spending money should be done with transparency and it should be ensured that corruption in the health sector should not take advantage of it in any way. Similarly, the government is expected to follow a transparent procurement process and prioritize the public interest in procuring the corona vaccine. ”
He also commented that the tax rebate for 10 years is a timely decision to increase the scope of hospital services outside the city. This will create opportunities to ensure quality healthcare in rural areas, Zaman said.”
Expressing concern over allocation of about 60 percent of the total budget in the proposed budget in the non-development sector Zaman said, “Considering the realities of the corona period, it was expected that the government would reduce unnecessary expenditure and make realistic allocations to the emergency services sector. But in terms of total allocation, public administration received the fourth highest allocation (7.6%) and when defense expenditure is added, the amount goes beyond 14 percent. Although the allocation has been increased year by year, the lack of effective strategies to ensure transparency and accountability as well as increase the efficiency of public administration is disappointing. At the same time, bringing no transparency in the procurement process in the defense sector is just a thumb up to good governance. Above all, I urge the government to ensure absolute transparency, accountability and strict integrity in the implementation of the budget, especially in all types of expenditure, including public procurement."