Chronology of Bangladesh’s National Budget: From 1972-73 to 2025-26

Bangladesh’s national budget has undergone a remarkable transformation since its first presentation during the 1971 Liberation War, growing from a modest wartime financial plan to a nearly Tk8 trillion ((8 lakh crores)) fiscal framework.

The country’s first budget was unveiled on 19 July 1971 by the Mujibnagar Government. Prepared by then Finance Minister M Mansur Ali, it covered only three months and was designed primarily to finance the independence war. Revenue was projected at just Tk7.74 million, against expenditure of Tk8.62 million, resulting in a deficit of about Tk880,000.

Following independence, Bangladesh’s first national budget was presented by Tajuddin Ahmad on 30 June 1972, covering both the 1971-72 and 1972-73 fiscal years. The budget focused on reconstruction, rehabilitation and economic recovery in a war-ravaged country.

Over the following decades, successive governments used budgets to address major challenges, including post-war reconstruction, the 1974 famine, structural economic reforms, trade liberalisation, inflation, banking-sector weaknesses and infrastructure development.

Several landmark policy measures emerged through budget speeches, including the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) in 1991, expansion of social safety-net programmes in the late 1990s, repeated opportunities to legalise undisclosed income, public-private partnership initiatives, and more recently, economic recovery measures during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The size of the budget expanded steadily alongside the economy. From Tk719.43 crore in 1972-73, it crossed Tk1 lakh crore in 2009-10 and reached Tk7.97 trillion (Tk797,000 crore) in the 2024-25 fiscal year, presented by Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali.

Although the 2024-25 budget remained unchanged after the fall of the Awami League government two months later, the interim administration slowed development spending and deferred a number of projects.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury is set to place the national budget for fiscal year 2026-2027 at the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday (11 June).

This will be the country’s 55th budget.

AMA Muhith and Saifur Rahman presented the highest 12 budgets each during different terms in their respective governments.

The evolution of Bangladesh’s budget reflects the country’s broader economic journey—from a newly independent nation financing a liberation war to one of South Asia’s fastest-growing economies managing a multi-trillion-taka fiscal programme.

Courtesy: The Daily Sun

Bd-Pratidin English/ AM