FROM LAKESHORE HOTEL, DHAKA: Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said that the midterm targets, which have been fixed in the proposed budget for 2014-15 fiscal, are not clear.

CPD’s research director Dr Fahmida Khatun made the comment while presenting the keynotes of ‘Review of the National Budget FY2014-15’ on Saturday at Lakeshore Hotel of Gulshan in the capital.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) arranged the dialogue.

Mentioning, budget stated that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will be increased in next fiscal year along with reducing budget deficit, she said that due to poor planning the base of all targets remain unclear.

The CPD research director said the minister did not mention any base-year on what the target of GDP growth has been fixed for next fiscal. He has set a target of 7.3 percent of GDP. I think if private investment will increase by 4-5 percent then we can achieve it. Which is worth about TK75,000 crore. It seems to us to be impossible.

Among others, Minister for Planning AHM Mustafa Kamal, MP, State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan, MP, Former Advisor to the Caretaker Government Dr Akbar Ali Khan and Bangladesh Bank’s Former Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, PETROBANGLA Chairman Professor Dr Hossain Monsur, CPD Executive Director Dr Mostafizur Rahman, CPD Fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan) president Hafizur Rahman Khan, National Board of Revenue (NBR) former Chairman Abdul Mazid, FBCCI President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed and BGMEA former President Salam Murshedi attended the dialogue while Professor Rehman Sobhan, Chairman, CPD presided over the session, according to a statement of CPD.

BDST: 1301 HRS, JUNE 14, 2014