Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday reaffirmed his government's commitment to implementing the Teesta Barrage Master Plan ‘at any cost,’ calling it a national priority to address the long-standing water crisis in northern Bangladesh.
He also proposed several people-friendly amendments to the 2026�"27 national budget, including tax relief, support for domestic industries, and the withdrawal of the controversial provision allowing the legalisation of undisclosed wealth.
Speaking during the general discussion on the proposed budget in Parliament, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram, the Prime Minister outlined his government's plans for economic reforms, agriculture, education, energy, governance, and the creative economy.
Highlighting water security, Tarique Rahman said lawmakers from Rajshahi, Rangpur, and other northern districts had repeatedly raised concerns over the Teesta and Padma rivers. He announced that the government has initiated the Padma Barrage Project to preserve excess monsoon water for year-round irrigation and declared, By the will of Allah, this government will implement the Teesta Barrage Master Plan at any cost as a national priority.
To improve irrigation and restore water flow, he announced a five-year programme to excavate and re-excavate 20,000 kilometers of canals nationwide, noting that nearly 900 kilometers have already been completed in the past three months.
The Prime Minister said the government's first cabinet meeting approved the waiver of agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000, including interest, benefiting 1.3 million farmers. He also announced the introduction of a Farmer Card, under which around 4.3 million farmers will receive Tk 2,500 annually along with ten additional benefits during the 2026�"27 fiscal year.
He said the government will integrate film, theatre, music, OTT platforms, digital content, gaming, fashion, and software into the mainstream economy under a new Creative Economy initiative. In sports, he announced a National Honorarium Framework for successful athletes, inclusion of sports as an independent subject in the national curriculum within a year, and a nationwide talent development programme modeled after the historic Notun Kuri initiative.
The Prime Minister also announced plans to introduce a Probashi (Expatriate) Card to provide faster services for Bangladeshi expatriates while expanding overseas employment opportunities through new labor markets.
Criticising the previous government's energy policies, Tarique Rahman alleged that domestic gas exploration had been neglected in favour of foreign companies, leading to corruption. He said the government is now prioritising domestic gas exploration and renewable energy to strengthen long-term energy security while rebuilding an education system that produces skilled, ethical, and knowledgeable citizens.
Describing the proposed budget as a blueprint for national reconstruction, he proposed raising the tax-free income threshold from Tk 375,000 to Tk 400,000 for the 2026�"27 and 2027�"28 tax years, with gradual increases to Tk 500,000 by 2030�"31. He also proposed withdrawing the provision allowing undisclosed wealth to be legalised through land registration, reducing the corporate tax on private universities from 10 percent to 5 percent, removing the proposed requirement for a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to open bank accounts and process property mutation and inheritance registrations, and expanding tax exemptions for ethnic minority communities.
The Prime Minister welcomed the proposed Tk 5 billion Startup Fund for young entrepreneurs and freelancers and proposed reducing VAT on advertisements on OTT platforms, social media, and search engines from 15 percent to 5 percent. He also recommended lower import duties on raw materials for shrimp farming, pharmaceuticals, PVC and PET resin, electrical wire manufacturing, LED lighting, prefabricated buildings, processed food, and other domestic industries.
Calling for stronger institutions, he proposed allocating an additional Tk 100 crore for the Supreme Court and Tk 500 crore for the Ministry of Law. He also asked the Finance Minister to consider abolishing all taxes on bicycles, describing them as an affordable and environmentally friendly mode of transport.
Concluding his speech, Tarique Rahman urged all political stakeholders to work together on constitutional reforms and national reconstruction to build a just, inclusive, and secure Bangladesh.
