Finance ministry website draws poor response from public

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FE Report
The caretaker authority's initiative to receive public reaction to the just-unveiled national budget has so far drawn poor response, as the extended timeframe for forwarding comments on the national budget (2007-08) expires today (Sunday).
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) received only 600 opinions and comments from the ordinary citizens until Friday on the budget, announced outside the national parliament.
Finance and planning adviser Mirza Azizul Islam unveiled the national budget for the upcoming fiscal on June 07, with an eye on the country's immediate development priorities.
The budget has evoked mixed reaction, with some calling it forward-looking, while others branding it as stereotypical.
An FE review has found that so far, some 600 entries from the general people have been received on the finance ministry website.
However, some economists, trade bodies and thinktanks are learnt to have sent written comments on the proposed budget by postal and private courier services.
The initiative, first of its kind in the country's history of budget-making, was intended to bring about transparency and accountability, while ensuring "a bigger say" of the general populace.
A source at the MoF said most of the opinions and suggestions reflected the public wrath and angry reaction to some of the budgetary proposals.
But it was not immediately known what specific budgetary measures came under attack from the people.
"There were few authoritative comments on the budget proposals. The suggestions are more or less similar to the opinions expressed in the talk shows of the electronic media as well as newspaper reports," the source added.
The first deadline to send public opinion about the budget was June 14, which was later extended by three days.
Many saw the move as a welcome step on the part of the interim administration that presented the budget in the absence of national parliament.
Akbar Ali Khan, a former adviser to the caretaker government, also appreciated the step, saying it would allow the people to air their opinions about the public policy.
The MoF has also kept the provision of receiving opinions and suggestions by post.
The budget wing of the MoF, which is monitoring the opinions and suggestions, is yet to take any decision whether the comments would be made public.