Badal deplores \\\'hide and seek\\\' in defence allocation
Tuesday, 10 June 2014
Deploring that successive finance ministers were mum over the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Defence, JSD MP Moinuddin Khan Badal Monday demanded explanation for allocating Tk 164.62 billion in the 2014-15 fiscal for the ministry, reports UNB.
"It's become a taboo not to explain where and how the budgetary allocation for the defence ministry will be spent on….this has become a long-time practice. It needs to be stopped. It should be opened to people," he told the Jatiyo Sangsad.
Taking part in general discussion on supplementary budget, Badal said allocation for the defence ministry is around 6.6 per cent of the total budget, without any explanation as to where this money will be spent on.
"We want our defence to be strengthened. But the finance minister must explain how and where the allocated public money will be spent on."
"I want to know how much money you're spending on procuring arms, how much on salary disbursement and how much on building construction," Badal added.
Referring to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's remark that BNP is ready for sitting with the government for reaching an understanding, the JSD MP said they also want to hold talks with BNP.
"As a treasury bench member, I can say we didn't budge even a hair's breadth from our stance on dialogue.
We want to hold talks. But this parliament won't accept if you (Khaleda) keep Jamaat as your addendum in the talks."
Badal further said the dialogue will be held, if the BNP chief agrees to sit with the government, excluding Jamaat.
On Sunday night, Khaleda Zia at a meeting with an EU delegation said her party is ready to sit with the government anytime to reach a consensus for holding an inclusive fresh national election.
The JSD MP alleged that the country has lost Tk 110.0 billion - nearly one per cent of GDP - in the last fiscal due to man-made disaster unleashed by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Mentioning that everyone has the right to express different opinions, he questioned Khaleda whether she has any right to snatch the country's one per cent of GDP.