Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) GM Quader Tuesday urged the government to take proper initiatives to control the prices of essential commodities.
“The prices of all commodities are on the rise . . . There is no control,” he told the parliament, taking part in the discussion on the proposed budget for 2021-22 fiscal this noon.
Quader urged of the concerned authorities of the government to arrest the price hike to ensure comfortable and easy living for citizens at the time of pandemic COVId-19 that badly affected the lifestyle countrywide.
He was very critical about corruption in the health sector, saying that the government must bring the corrupt individuals under the legal action to ensure the proper healthcare for common people.
Alleged widespread corruption in health sector has tarnished the image of the incumbent government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Quader observed.
On the vaccination issue, the opposition leader told the House that the government must take necessary steps so that Bangladesh can produce world-standard vaccine doses to the people.
“There was a major headway on producing vaccine in Bangladesh . . . But what happened that all initiatives came to a halt?” he questioned in the parliament, where Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina was present.
Noting that the proposed budgetary allocation Taka 32,731 crore for the health sector is obviously an insufficient amount, Quader said this allocation for health sector should be increased to nearly 5 percent of the main amount of the budget as per the suggestion of the World Bank .
On the tax for importing medical equipments for hospitals and other medical centers, the Jatiya Party leader suggested the government to exempt duty in this field that would help providing treatment facilities to the people at law cost.
Terming the budget as the political philosophy of the government, he underscored the need for increasing the allocation in the health sector and social safety net for the betterment of the masses.
“If it is needed, the comparatively less important projects can be suspended for a certain period and those amounts could be used in the social safety net and health sectors in the changed situation of the country during the pandemic coronavirus that made many people jobless and helpless as well,” GM Quader suggested.
He called the proposed allocation in agriculture as time-befitting and put emphasis on taking a pragmatic step as well as special care so that the country’s farmers can get actual prices of the agricultural produces.
Earlier Jatiya Party (JP-Manju) Chairman Anower Hossain Manju took part in the budget discussion, lauding the tremendous development of the country under the leadership of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“Bangladesh has done immensely improved people’s living standard. . . Even those who are blind will also understand that the country has improved a lot,” he told the House with parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
Manju termed the proposed budget timely, development-oriented and pro-people.
