Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury started placing a Tk 9.38 lakh crore national budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2026-27 in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) this afternoon, outlining the newly elected government's economic roadmap aimed at accelerating growth, generating employment and steering Bangladesh towards a trillion-dollar economy.

The unveiling of the proposed budget began after the sitting of the second session of the 13th parliament resumed at 3 pm today with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, in the chair.

The total outlay of the budget has been set at Tk 9.38 lakh crore, the largest national budget in the country's history.

This is the first budget of the BNP government this time following a landslide victory in parliamentary election held on February 12 this year. A BNP-led government had last presented its national budget for the fiscal year 2006-'07 under then Finance Minister M. Saifur Rahman.

The proposed budget, the largest in the country's history, reflects the government's commitment to economic recovery, investment promotion, human resource development and improved public service delivery.

According to budget documents, the total expenditure outlay has been estimated at Tk 9.38 lakh crore, while domestic revenue mobilisation is projected at around Tk 6.95 lakh crore. The overall budget deficit is expected to stand at Tk 2.43 lakh crore, equivalent to 3.6 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The government has set a GDP growth target of 6.5 percent and an inflation target of 7.5 percent for FY27, with the projected size of the economy estimated at Tk 68.30 lakh crore.

In his budget speech, the finance minister highlighted the government's priorities in education, healthcare, employment generation, private-sector-led investment and social protection. He reiterated the government's pledge to build a knowledge-based economy and expand opportunities for the country's growing youth population.

The budget speech also featured a series of deregulation and business facilitation measures, including simplification of licensing procedures, modernisation of tax administration and expansion of digital services to improve the ease of doing business and attract both local and foreign investment.

Officials said the FY27 budget has been framed in line with the government's electoral commitments and long-term development vision, placing greater emphasis on human capital development alongside macroeconomic stability.

The proposed budget will be discussed in parliament before its passage and implementation from July 1, 2026.

More to follow...