Dhaka: BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that the current ‘unelected’ government has imposed a huge tax burden on the country’s people through the proposed national budget for fiscal 2017‐2018.

‘This regime has no legitimacy to present the national budget. All the newspapers, including pro‐ruling party ones, on Friday said massive tax load was imposed on people and they have got entangled in tax net. The entire nation, from the lower‐income to higher‐income ones, will have to bear the brunt of 15 percent VAT imposed on them in the budget,’ he said.

The BNP leader further said, ‘We think the budget will not be conducive to ensuring public welfare. Rather, it’ll become a burden on them.’

He came up with the remarks while speaking at a discussion on the ground floor of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office jointly arranged by Zia Smrity Pathagar and Jatiyatabadi Prokashana Sangstha.

On Thursday, Finance Minister AMA Muhith proposed the biggest‐ever national budget for fiscal year 2017‐18 of Tk 400266 crore saying he is placing this budget at a ‘historic juncture’ of economic development.

The Finance Minister in his 11^th budget at the House, proposed a single and uniform VAT rate of 15 per cent for next three years in the new budget.

About the budgetary allocation for education, Fakhrul said though the allocation has been increased, there is no direction as to where the money will be spent on ensuring quality education.

Mentioning that the country’s health sector is in very bad shape, the BNP leader said adequate allocation has not been made for the sector for its development.

He alleged that the government has kept aside huge money for mega projects in the budget to give the ruling party men a scope for making their pockets heavier by indulging in ‘mega corruption’.