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Finance Minister Saifur Rahman categorically said Wednesday country's economy has improved and it is not dependent on foreign aid, reports UNB.
As such, he said once again, foreigners have no business in the Bangladesh's internal affairs.
" We are not dependent at all on foreign aid… foreign aid has marginal role in our economy," he said, winding up the general discussion on the national budget for fiscal 2006-07.
Expressing his optimism about implementation of the Tk 697.40-billion budget placed in parliament on June 8, the custodian of exchequer said, "Foreigners in the name of Tuesday Group, Wednesday Group have no business here to poke their nose into our internal affairs."
The finance minister said that people would reelect BNP through the next elections as the government did so many good works for them.
Defending the budget, he said it is a realistic budget, rejecting opposition's criticism that it is a budget based on high ambition and dream.
"Inshallah, we will implement this budget."
"The principal aim of our economy is to eradicate poverty," he told the House, adding that the rate of poverty has been reduced 15 per cent since 2001.
Saifur said some 2.2 million people would be brought under the scheme of old-age allowance within next two years.
On price hike, he said the prices of onions, rice, lentils, sugar, oil etc increased internationally and the government reduced tariffs to keep the prices of these items within the buying capacity of the commoners.
He placed statistics of oil prices in different countries in the region, claiming that the price hike of fuels in the country is very marginal compared to other countries, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, China and Hong Kong.
Responding to the opposition's criticism about block allocations, he said the funds would be spent on the ongoing projects.
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