Govt moves away from Islamic values: AL

Senior leaders of the party said the ruling coalition committed to upholding Islamic values in polls pledges, but now continued to renege on the promises and did not hesitate to lower the prices of alcoholic drinks.

Addressing a rally, organised by Dhaka city AL on Bangabandhu Avenue, they called upon people to join hands against the government that gave such 'a pro-rich, anti-poor outlay'.

AL Presidium Member Abdus Samad Azad said the tax- and duty-laden budget was an attack on the poor.

The AL leaders wondered how Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh supported duty cut in alcoholic drinks.

Senior AL leaders Abdur Razzak, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta and Motia Chowdhury also addressed the rally.

President of Workers Party Rashed Khan Menon and general secretary Bimal Biswas said the anti-people budget was designed at the directives of the World Bank (WB).

In a statement, they said the party would stage a demonstration on June 19 in protest against the outlay.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal said higher duty on essentials and lower on alcoholic drinks was a cruel joke to the people.

In a statement, they said failing to cut corruption and systems loss the government was burdening the poor with taxes.

President and Secretary of Bangladesh Krishak Shramik Awami League said the budget mirrored fulfillment of the conditions of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organisation.

The budget will not reduce poverty, they added.

Meanwhile, political parties in Chittagong gave a mixed reaction to the proposed budget.

Local units of the four-party alliance brought out a jubilant procession and hailed the budget as a pro-people one.

The Chittagong city unit of AL staged a rally at Darul Fazal Market office and decried the budget as an anti-people outlay.