The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) terms the proposed budgetary measures to overcome existing challenges in fiscal year (FY) 2022-23 'insufficient and incomplete'.
It says people of the upper-income group is set to get much benefits than lower and middle-income segments, which is not expected at a time when public sufferings heighten amid the volatile commodity market.
The leading local think-tank says this in an immediate reaction to the 6.78-trillion budget placed in parliament on Thursday.
CPD executive director Dr Fahmida Khatun says they proposed to increase the tax-free income limit for individuals to Tk 350,000, but to no avail.
The ceiling remains unchanged at Tk 300,000 in the proposed budget, although it offers many benefits to people having good income, she adds.
However, Dr Fahmida hails the government for increasing the volume of subsidy to agriculture to Tk 160 billion from Tk 120 billion.
But the finance minister in his budget speech says the government will gradually rationalise gas and power tariff, meaning prices will be increasing, she argues.
"If energy prices go up, it will create more burden on the common people at this time," cites Dr Fahmida.
About social protection that the CPD recommended to be enhanced, she says the minister proposed 2.55 per cent of GDP for social safety-net programme, which is 2.80 per cent in the revised budget of FY21.
"It is unexpected to all," she further says.
A majority of development projects are far behind completion deadline, meaning that their costs will rise further, although the minister focuses on timely execution of the schemes.
The CPD was critical of the fiscal support to bring back undisclosed money from abroad.
"It's unethical… It means some errant individuals will get opportunities to earn illegally and again they will get fiscal benefits to bring back their money."
On the other hand, Dr Fahmida says, "Lower income groups will get nothing. This is not acceptable."
She says the measures to attain the objectives of the budget are incomplete.
"We think the measures that are proposed to overcome existing challenges of the budget are inadequate."
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