Dhaka: BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Friday termed the proposed national budget for 2018-19 fiscal year a ‘big blue empty balloon’ which is formulated keeping the next general election in mind.

‘It’s a big beautiful blue balloon which is totally empty,’ he said while speaking at a discussion arranged by Bangladesh Youth Forum at the Jatiya Press Club, reports the UNB.

Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said the budget will not help ensure people’s welfare as it was made only considering the next general election.

Describing the government as ‘unelected, corrupt and incompetent’, he said it will not be able to implement such a big budget.

The BNP leader also said the inequality will widen while the poor will be poorer through the budget.

Moudud said there is no directive in the budget to change the fate of 3 crore unemployed people and the ultra poor.

Meanwhile, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi termed the budget an ‘anti-people’ one.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he said there is nothing in the budget except fraudulence and a scope for ruling party men to make their pockets heavier ahead of the next general election. ‘BNP is fully turning down the budget,’ said Rizvi.

He feared that the middle class will be put in trouble while the prices of all essential will go up if this budget is passed.