Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury today said that education was among the most critically damaged sectors of the state structure during the long years of fascist rule. 

"Through the July Mass Uprising, which carried the aspirations of the youth and has brought us back to a democratic Bangladesh, we must now build a Bangladesh for our future generations where students grow into honest, competent, skilled, and responsible citizens," he said. 

The finance minister said this while announcing the budget allocation for the education and human resource development in the proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) here this afternoon.

In his budget speech, Khosru put special emphasis on the restructuring of the education sector, saying that the BNP-led government gave the highest priority to education and human resource development in this year's budget, embracing the aspirations of the youth in a democratic Bangladesh free from fascism.

"We propose to increase the allocation for the education sector to 2 percent of GDP in the upcoming fiscal year, with a total allocation of Taka 1 lakh 36 thousand and 606 crore," he said, adding, in the fiscal year 2025-26, the allocation for the education sector was Taka 87 thousand and 206 crore, equivalent to 1.39 percent of GDP.

He also said that the education sector has been considered as the second highest priority among the main priority sectors in the proposed budget.

"Our twin objectives are, on the one hand, to restore discipline, transparency, and accountability to the education sector, and on the other, to ensure an environment for students and teachers in which they can realise their fullest potential through modern education, training, and opportunity," the minister said. 

"Mr Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, elected by the mandate of the people, is transforming the education curriculum so as to cultivate among students ethical values, a sense of social responsibility, qualities of leadership, and humane character- for he believes that education is not merely a matter of acquiring knowledge; it is the most powerful instrument for shaping people and society," he added.

In fulfillment of the electoral commitment, Khosru said the government has set the goal of raising education sector allocations to 5 percent of GDP over the next five years.