Budget 2025–26 to Reflect Spirit of July Uprising, Special Allocation Planned

The upcoming national budget for fiscal year 2025–26 will carry a special allocation aimed at commemorating the spirit and aspirations of the July Uprising, sources confirmed following a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday at the State Guest House Jamuna.

This marks the first budget under the current interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, and will be presented on June 2 by Adviser for Finance Dr Salehuddin Ahmed.

A dedicated special fund is being planned to support initiatives inspired by the popular July uprising, including the formation of a new “July Directorate” and the establishment of a July Uprising Memorial Museum. The fund will also cover ongoing and future medical treatment for injured protesters, both at home and abroad, and will facilitate the collection and preservation of audiovisual documentation of the movement from both domestic and international sources.

In addition, the government is considering the introduction of loan facilities for families of those martyred in the uprising, though final figures for the budgetary allocation have yet to be disclosed.

Senior Officials Present Budget Strategy

Present at Saturday’s meeting were prominent members of the economic policymaking team, including Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser (Finance Ministry) Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Finance Secretary Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder, NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan, ERD Secretary Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Planning Secretary Iqbal Abdullah Harun, and Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarek.

The proposed budget size is expected to be Tk 7.90 trillion, slightly lower than the original FY2024–25 budget of Tk 7.97 trillion. Sources indicate that development expenditure will be conservative due to ongoing revenue shortfalls and a liquidity crisis, while allocations for operational expenditures will be increased, given mounting administrative and social demands.

Chief Adviser Yunus expressed satisfaction with the overall direction of the budget preparation, noting that the financial roadmap aligns with the interim administration’s broader vision of national renewal.

Inflation Control, Social Protection in Focus

With inflation remaining persistently high, the upcoming budget will prioritize measures to curb inflation, especially to protect low-income groups. Social safety net programs are likely to see modest increases in allowances and coverage, government officials said.

On the economic front, weak private sector credit growth continues to hinder job creation, leading policymakers to adopt a realistic GDP growth target, rather than an overly ambitious one.

As Bangladesh prepares for a transition beyond the interim period, the 2025–26 budget is poised to serve not just as a fiscal document but also as a symbolic commitment to democratic values, national healing, and socioeconomic stability.