Tough measures sought to recover bad loans

Lawmakers on Tuesday demanded tough measures to recover defaulted loans to check the growth of undisclosed money as well as the capital flight from the country.

Taking part in the general discussion on the 2019-20 budget at the Jatiya Sangsad on the day, they also urged the government to make Bangladesh Bank officials accountable for the heist in the central bank and to widen the tax net.

Members of parliament on the opening day of the general budget discussion called on the government to provide recognition to the contribution of women’s unpaid work to the economy and take concrete steps to include it in the national GDP estimation.

Workers Party of Bangladesh MP Lutfun Nesa Khan said that it was high time to recognise the women’s unpaid work to the economy and the GDP.

She also demanded direct election to the reserved seats of parliament.

‘Increase the stipend for girl students to reduce their dropout rate,’ she said, adding ‘The allocation for research in the higher education is not sufficient.’

The reserved-seat lawmaker alleged that the government-run drug rehabilitation centres were in bad shape while the services at privately operated such centres were costly. She proposed for tax rebate for privately run rehabilitation centres.

Ruling Awami League lawmaker Ali Ashraf resented that though a heist took place in the central bank but no official was made accountable for that and the authorities should address the matter.

He also urged the authorities concerned to take stringent measures for controlling loan default. ‘Implement stringent provisions while giving loans,’ he added.

‘They are wilful loan defaulters. They are not accidental loan defaulters. None of them should get any concession if they siphon off money aboard,’ he went on.

The Bangladesh Bank management should have strong monitoring on this issue, he proposed.

Another ruling lawmaker M Saifuzzaman demanded increased budgetary allocation in order to modernise the security system for ensuring public security.

AL lawmaker Habib-e-Millat urged the education ministry to consult local lawmakers while finalsing the list of educational institutions for inclusion in the monthly pay order system, through which the government paid the basic salary to a non-government teacher.

‘Pay attention to the agriculture sector that is suffering from some problems,’ he said, demanding incentives for the sector along with the health and education sectors.

BNP lawmaker Mosharaf Hossain demanded enough time to be able to complete what they wanted to say at the Jatiya Sangsad.

‘Whenever we get the floor they [ruling party MPs] start making hue and cry. The absence of opposition invites dictatorship,’ he said.

All the ruling lawmakers who spoke hailed the budget and censured its critics.

AL MP Pankaj Nath said that people who did not like Awami League and Sheikh Hasina were criticising the budget.

AL reserved-seat lawmaker Aroma Dutta said that the ‘father of the nation of country’ did not face any kind of criticism across the globe. ‘Please refrain from criticism,’ she urged.

AL MP Abdul Mannan said that he would resign as MP if anyone could prove that former president Ziaur Rahman declared independence.

A total of 12 lawmakers – 10 from the AL, one from the BNP and one from the WP – took part in the general discussion on the first day.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net