Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday described the just-concluded budget session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad as a "historic moment", saying it marked the return of a Parliament genuinely elected by the people after years of what he termed fascist rule.
Delivering the concluding speech of the budget session – second of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, he said the Parliament passed a "people-friendly" budget through lively and democratic debates among treasury and opposition lawmakers.
"As a political worker and a Member of Parliament, I believe this is a historic moment. After many years, Bangladesh now has a Parliament elected by the people where their true representatives have discussed and passed a national budget," the Prime Minister said.
He said the government's objective was to present a budget that would directly benefit the people.
"We wanted to prepare a life-friendly budget for the people. Various organisations that analyse the national budget have also acknowledged that this budget is largely people-friendly," Tarique Rahman said.
He, however, stressed that effective implementation will require cooperation from the public administration, private institutions and all stakeholders so that the benefits of the budget reach people's doorsteps.
The Prime Minister thanked all lawmakers and the people for making the new Parliament vibrant and democratic.
Referring to debates on legislation during the session, he said differences of opinion were expressed freely by both treasury and opposition members.
"This is the beauty of democracy and the essence of parliamentary democracy," Tarique Rahman said.
He paid tribute to those who, he said, sacrificed their lives in different movements and struggles throughout the country's history.
The Prime Minister recalled the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War, the November 7, 1975 uprising, those killed in the 2013 Shapla Chattar incident, the victims of the 2009 BDR mutiny, political activists who died during the anti-autocracy movement in 1990, and those who were killed, disappeared or subjected to repression during the past one-and-a-half decades of fascist rule.
He also paid tribute to those killed during the July 2024 mass uprising, saying their sacrifices will always be remembered.
Tarique Rahman said the government and the opposition agreed to stand beside those affected by the July uprising and others who made sacrifices for democracy, subject to the state's financial capacity.
He said the government is committed to building a welfare state based on justice, equality and democratic values where no one will face discrimination because of wealth or status and where extremism will have no place.
The Prime Minister said the government has already begun implementing several welfare initiatives, including the Family Card, Farmers' Card, Sports Card and honorariums for imams, muezzins and other religious leaders, as part of its commitment to ensuring broader state support for citizens.
Parliament went into its maiden session on March 12 this year with President's address.
The second session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, which also served as the budget session for the 2026-27 fiscal year, began on June 7.
On June 30, Parliament passed a Tk 938,000 crore national budget for FY27, setting targets of 6.5 percent economic growth and reducing inflation to 7.5 percent.