AL joins Sangsad today to protest budget

Leader of the opposition and AL president Sheikh Hasina said yesterday that they would go to the parliament to protest against the anti-poor budget.

"If we don't protest the pro-rich, anti-poor budget, people would blame us for not representing them," she said at a press briefing.

"We would also join the discussion on supplementary budget tomorrow (Monday) to know where the government had spent the money in current fiscal."

AL agreed in principle to join the budget session at its presidium meeting and then took the final decision at the AL parliamentary party (ALPP) meeting.

The government is playing a dangerous game by testing the patience of people by increasing prices of essentials, Hasina said. She also criticised the decision to reduce taxes on luxury items.

She also protested the government initiative to increase salaries and facilities for the prime minister, speaker, ministers and MPs. She asked the government to increase salaries of teachers, public servants, police and BDR first.

"We are going to protest the bill if they submit it in the Sangsad," she declared.