Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury on Friday said the country’s economy is currently in a “very bad state” and stressed the need to boost investment and employment in the upcoming budget.
Speaking during a visit to the proposed site of a government hospital in the Jele Para area near Patenga Police Station in Chattogram, the minister said the next budget will prioritize measures to increase jobs and attract both domestic and foreign investment.
“Without domestic and foreign investment, employment will not be created. We must increase investment,” he said, adding that reforms will also be required in the health and education sectors, though employment generation will remain the top priority.
The minister visited the Muslimabad area adjacent to Marine Drive, near Banauja Ulkar Abad Zone-2, to inspect land acquired by the Bangladesh Navy for the construction of a government hospital.
He reviewed a total of 14.2190 acres and an additional 2.7 acres of land earmarked for the hospital project in Patenga.
Amir Khasru said, “There is no hospital in the southern part of Chattogram Metropolitan City. A general hospital, a specialized hospital, a nursing institute, and a technology institute will be built here at the same time. The people of this region demanded a hospital, so the hospital will be built here soon.”
In addition, in response to the question of what can be done to revive the country's fragile economy, he said that taxes should be increased to revive the economy, thereby increasing investment.
He also commented that increasing employment in the country is the government's priority.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
