Despite being a humble banking professional, I am very lucky to have been engaged with the country’s budgetary process since the early ‘90s. Many champions, including Saifur Rahman, Shah AMS Kibria, AB Mirza Azizul Islam, Akbar Ali Khan, Masihur Rahman and Khairuzzaman Chowdhury, valued my inputs and private sector insights.

The budget for the next fiscal year may not be able to end the chronic gas shortage, cut import reliance and guarantee credible supply of electricity as it has fallen short of taking up sufficient measures needed to ensure energy sustainability, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said yesterday.

When commitments don’t match with actions, the budget becomes methodologically disturbing too.

Economists say allocation for the agriculture sector in the new budget is inadequate, and it will not only hurt farmers but may also affect food production.

Finance ministers don’t possess crystal balls to captivate the audience with mystical allure. They don’t have magical foresight. They are real-world agents of economic policy. In times of crisis, which often repeats itself in modern capitalism, they chart a path out of the dark abyss. Sometimes they prove to be successful, sometimes not.

The proposed national budget for FY25 has remained a widely speculated topic for the people of this country. Bangladesh has been navigating a precarious global economy over the last 24 months, and the economic aftereffects of Covid-19 and the Ukraine-Russia have not only complicated macroeconomic management but created widespread concerns across both domestic and international actors.