Next budget size will be Tk 500,000cr : Muhith

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith has said the size of the budget for the fiscal year 2017-18 will be Tk 500,000 crore.
The minister said this while addressing a function at the daylong exhibition on ‘New Vision of the City’ at Bengal Art Lounge in the capital on Saturday.
“Now we are able to implement the mega projects across the country”, he said, adding that the government has taken steps for demolishing the illegal high-rise buildings and improvement of Karwan Bazar.
“Obviously, we have to do something for Dhaka city beautification,’ he said. The minister underscored the need for using modern technology to reduce traffic jam in the city.
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq said the influential people have built buildings, grabbing the pavements. “Though it is a difficult task to demolish the illegal buildings, we have already demolished many of them”, said the mayor.
Some vested groups have made high-rise buildings on the river banks. Not only that, they have also established mosques in front of their buildings, he observed.
“This is fully an unethical act and sometimes we are helpless to these groups,” Annisul Huq said.
Nasrul Hamid, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resource, said Dhaka becomes a wasteland. Management infrastructure experts are needed for beautification of the city.
He said the Chinese government is providing financial support for Dhaka city beautification and reducing traffic jam. Mohammad Sayeed Khokon, Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, also spoke.