Dhaka, Jun 13 (UNB) – An amount of Tk 25616crore has been proposed for Public Security Division and Security Services Division under the Home Ministry in the annual budget for 2019-20 fiscal year, up by Tk 886crore of the previous fiscal year.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal made the announcement during the budget speech in parliament on Thursday afternoon. 

Of the proposed amount, Tk 21922crore has been allocated for the  Public Security Division while the remaining Tk 3694crore for the Security Services division.

Dhaka, Jun 13 (UNB) – An amount of Tk 32,101 crore has been proposed for the Defense Ministry and other services under the ministry in the national  budget for 2019-20 fiscal year.

The proposed allocation is higher by Tk 1400 crore of the revised budget of  2018-19 fiscal year while less by Tk 2984 crore of the proposed budget.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal made the announcement during the budget speech at the Jatiya Sangasad Bhaban on Thursday afternoon. 

Of the proposed amount, Tk 29285 crore has been kept aside for operating expenditure, Tk 148 crore for the development expenditure of the Defence Ministry, while Tk 1298 crore for other services and Tk 38 crore for the Armed Forces Division.

Dhaka, Jun 13 (UNB) - A 'Universal Pension Authority' will be constituted soon for gradual introduction of universal pension for everyone employed in formal and informal sectors of the economy.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said this while placing the proposed national budget for 2019-20 fiscal year in the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday.

Without elaborating, he said the government pensioners are only a small fraction of the total population in the country.

The minister said the process of pension payment through EFT has started to reduce the hassle of pensioners in getting their pension.   

A system has been introduced so that pensioners can automatically get their pension in their bank or mobile account without any physical presence in any accounts office or any bank, he said. 

Kamal said the payment of pension in pensioner’s bank account through EFT has already been made to 27,000 pensioners. All pensioners will be brought under this system in the next fiscal year.

He mentioned that although there is a group insurance system for government employees, in reality it is not insurance. “With the assistance of Jiban Bima Corporation, the existing system will be reformed and converted into an integrated insurance system for bringing all government employees under the insurance coverage.”

Dhaka, June 13 (UNB) – The government has taken steps to increase the amount of the state honorarium for freedom fighters to Tk 12,000 from existing Tk 10,000 to ensure their overall welfare.

While unveiling the budget of fiscal year 2019-20 in Parliament, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal proposed an allocation of Tk 4,453 for the Liberation War Affairs Ministry. 

Though the government is working relentlessly to preserve the memory of the Liberation War and ensure welfare of the freedom fighters and for this, state honorariums are being given to freedom fighters and their successors, he said. 

Besides, two festival bonuses, Glorious Victory Day allowance, and Bengali New Year allowance are also being provided and their allowances are now being sent electronically to their bank accounts, the minister said.

He said Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust Act, 2018 has been enacted to ensure the welfare of the freedom fighters. 

Besides, to provide housing facilities to the freedom fighters, single-storied buildings are being constructed for 15,000 destitute freedom fighters in the country, either in their own land or through settlement in Khas lands, if necessary, Mustafa Kamal said.

Dhaka, June 23 (UNB)-The allocation for gender development in national budget of 2019-20 is Tk 161247 crore, up by Tk 23,505  crore from last year’s allocation.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal came up with the proposal while placing the national budget in Parliament on Thursday

This allocation is 30.82 percent of total budget and 5.56 percent of GDP, he said.

Among the Ministries/Divisions, a large part of the total budget on women's development is spent by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Cooperatives Division.

“We are committed to establish equal rights and dignity of women and men, and ensure participation of women in all spheres of national lives. The government has taken appropriate programmes to ensure education, health, employment, and women empowerment, “ he said.

At the same time, the government will strengthen programmes to mitigate and prevent violence against women and also undertake effective measures to create a gender-friendly environment in all spheres of lives, said the Minister.

The gender budget contains budget allocation for women in 44 ministries/divisions.