Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said that the government had started its drive against corruption and it would spare no one.
鈥榃e have started the drive against corruption, no one will be spared. Whoever it is, whoever will indulge in corruption, we will not spare them,鈥� she said.
Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, gave the warning while she addressed the parliament taking part in the general discussion on the proposed budget for 2024鈥�25 fiscal.
She said that the budget proposed to legalise undisclosed money with an aim to bring that money in the mainstream economy.
鈥楾he money which is not disclosed due to various reasons needs to be brought to the mainstream economy. For that purpose we have proposed that amnesty,鈥� she said.
She also said that Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia, former BNP finance minister Saifur Rahman and jurist Dr Kamal Hossain also utilised the same kind of opportunity in the past.
鈥楾his kind of opportunity was often given in the past,鈥� she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that the government utilising strong policy strategies and the power of mass people would build Smart Bangladesh to materialise the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Munjibur Rahman of a hunger and poverty free Bangladesh.
鈥榃e all will advance the country by implementing this budget and by this the country will move one step further,鈥� she said.
Having mentioned that some called the budget ambitious and some called it a deficit budget, the prime minister said, 鈥楢 while ago, the leader of the opposition party said that it is not possible to implement this budget. But taking challenge is our job.鈥�
She also said that she did not think this budget was ambitious.
鈥榊es, a goal we set is never hundred per cent fulfilled; it is not possible. Still we have a definite goal that we are going to get there. We were able to do that,鈥� she added.
Sheikh Hasina said that the fate of the people of the country had changed.
鈥榃e have formulated this budget and given the development budget to continue our development trend. There is nothing to reduce here,鈥� he said.
Commenting that the Awami League government did not forget the election manifesto, Sheikh Hasina said, 鈥榃e prepare a manifesto before the election and we do not forget this manifesto. We fulfil the promise and elected by the people鈥檚 vote, we came to power.鈥�
She also said that this budget would help achieve progress, which would contribute to the implementation of the future plans up until 2041.