ERF presents budget proposals, FinMin assures to consider them

Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said dollar crisis has been largely resolved by an increase in remittance inflow and export earnings adding that all dilemmas have been overcome by improvement in economic situation.

He said this in a pre-budget meeting with Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) at Secretariat on Sunday. In the meeting, ERF President Refayet Ulla Mridha and General Secretary Abul Kashem presented several budget proposals. Finance Minister assured to consider them.

At this time, Mahmood Ali said all doubts about the economic situation have been overcome.  People who thought the country would be Sri Lanka have been proved wrong.
The Finance Minister said there was doubt; ambivalence over the economy but those has been crossed. Earlier the representative of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) at a meeting said they are ready to finance budget proposals.

"We are waiting for your proposal. You give the proposal first, we will give the money; there is no shortage of money," they said.

"So after receiving such an assurance, there is no more doubt; no dilemma for funding. We are preparing the budget, work on the budget is going, the finance minister.

He said, "Our opponent claimed Bangladesh is becoming Sri Lanka but it has not happened. We are surviving through challenges and working on the next budget. About the ERF budget proposals, he said "we will certainly consider them."

He also said, "The country is moving. All the items needed by the people of the country are coming. They are available. Yes, there is a little yes about the price, some are increasing, some are decreasing. They are there. Thats how a free market economy works."

The Finance Minister said, "all the advices you have given are good. However, it is difficult to say how much can be turned into work. Lets see what new we can do."