Budget in the Minds of Marginalized People

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal will present the budget for the fiscal year 2020-21 on June 3. This year he is going to present the budget for the second time.  

Prominent citizens of the country are already expressing their views on the budget in various media; but what do the ordinary working people of the country think about this budget? Talking to many of them, it has been learned that there is no demand for the budget but anger. And they are not thinking much about it. They say they don't want to understand the budget but they remain happy when the prices of daily necessities come down. Again, many are hoping to get government support in the budget at this time of the year. Economic analysts say the budget will not change the fate of the working people. So marginal people do not bother with the budget. 

Sumon sells tea at Mohammadpur bus stand. Asked about the budget, he said, what will happen with the budget? These are the things of big people. We are happy that the prices of daily commodities including rice, pulses, and oil do not go up. Kashem, green coconut seller in Dayaganj area of ​​old Dhaka, said the same thing. He said the government gives a budget every year. I see it in the newspaper. I have no benefit in this budget. The price of what you buy to survive does not go down. We do not receive any government assistance. If the price of daily necessities goes up, it will not go down. 

Salam Mia, a bus driver on the Sadarghat-Mirpur road, said, "We don't have much income for Corona." There is no point in thinking about these budgets. We want the government to make arrangements so that we can live by eating.

Rais Uddin, a small fruit trader, did not inquire about the budget. He has been selling fruits on the sidewalks of Gulistan for 10 years. When asked, he said, "This country is moving at the behest of two thieves. What if the budget in this country, if not! Dhaira has not been in business for three months. I don't know what the budget will be, I don't even need to know. However, I know that the price of these items will increase.

Rickshaw puller Kamal said about the budget, so many requests to the government, the government should think of the poor like us. If possible, cooperate with us. He arranges for us to buy and eat rice and pulses at low prices.

According to various sources, the size of this year's budget will be 6 lakh 2 thousand 880 crore, which is 35 thousand crore more than the original budget of the last financial year and 64 thousand crore more than the revised budget. Last year too, the budget was presented in Corona.

Economic analyst MM Akash said the budget was being prepared at a time of more complex and uncertainty than last year. That budget will not really benefit the poor. The Finance Minister presented the budget keeping in mind the imbalance of income and expenditure keeping in mind the idea of ​​laundering black money here. He doesn't care about those workers who eat day in and day out. Increases the price of daily necessities. The incentives allocated for them are also not shared.

Hawkers are expecting government incentives in the budget. Salim Mia sells tea in front of the stadium. He has been working here for ten years, but no budget has changed his fortunes. Moreover, he did not get any help from the government. Salim Mia said, the government should make some allocation for us in the budget. That is what we, the common people, get. There is no expectation more than this. 

In tune with Salim Mia's words, Hawker Rafique said, "Our income has fallen into uncertainty during this time in Corona." I also want them to think about us without making unrealistic budget at least this time. Kamal, the wardboy of Shamarita Hospital, said about the budget, there is no time to think about this. We can eat three meals a day. And if the body is sick, I am happy as long as I can afford treatment.

Taufiqul Islam Khan, a senior research fellow at the Center for Policy Dialogue, said the budget should take into account the need to provide low-cost healthcare services to marginalized people in the fight against coronavirus. As we have seen, many day laborers use the same max for a few days. It also becomes difficult for them to buy a mask for 10 rupees. Incentives in the health sector should be further enhanced so that they get medical benefits.

He added that a large portion of human income has been lost due to coronavirus. If we can't provide them with state security, then the economic activities will be damaged. The government hopes that the construction of houses for the homeless, introduction of food distribution system among low-income people and incentives will be given importance in this year's budget.

Public health expert Lelin Chowdhury said the second wave of corona has once again thrown us into uncertainty. So now we have to prepare a special budget for a special time. This special budget needs to be prepared with Kovid in mind, marginalized people, health care, economic needs. The budget that is now being implemented in the current financial year was a conventional budget. Covid was not suitable for consideration. There was not much in the budget for the common people. Therefore, the Ministry of Finance must pay attention to this aspect.