Senior members of the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) on Monday said that mostly bureaucrats own properties in 'Begum Para' located in the USA and Canada.
Mainly, the wives and children of Bangladeshi millionaires live in these properties - therefore, the name is 'Begum Para'.
They said there are some dishonest political leaders and business people who also own assets in the western countries.
Bangladesh has now become dependent on the bureaucracy, they also said.
The opposition members said that the budget proposal lacks adequate resource allocation for the health ministry, social safety net and education.
Jatiya Party lawmaker Dr Rustam Ali Farazi said most of the bureaucrats own properties in the USA and Canada.
"They loot money from Bangladesh and transfer that amount to the western countries. At first, they send their kids to the countries, and later, they themselves settle there."
He said that the government should bring back the amount and use the amount for the welfare of the people.
He said there is no alternative to vaccination. "If possible, cut down the allocation earmarked for mega projects and spend money for the vaccines."
"We need at least 250 million vaccines within the next six months in order to develop herd immunity," the JP member said.
JP member Kazi Firoz Rashid said that the government has assigned secretaries for the districts. The prime minister talked with the deputy commissioners about the relief distribution. "We the people's representatives just sit down by the secretaries or DCs".
Awami League senior leader Tofael Ahmed said: "We distribute relief from our own resources, but assignment of the administrative officers in the districts seems to the people that the officers provide all the support…"
Another JP member Anisul Islam Mahmud said that the budget allocation for health is poor.
He said the government may utilise the low debt-GDP ratio to borrow funds and utilise those for the welfare of the people during this pandemic.
He said that there is no adequate resource allocation for the welfare of the expatriates.
"They send the money during the crisis, but there is no adequate fund for the welfare of the expatriates".
"Wesiphon off money from Bangladesh but the expatriates send the money during the crisis."
There is no meaning in keeping such a high amount of reserve unless it is used during the crisis, Mr Anisul added.
Senior Awami leader Sk Fazlul Karim Selim, Motia Chowdhury, JP leader Moshiur Rahman Ranga, among others, joined the budget discussion on the day.
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