Speakers at a roundtable yesterday called for ensuring the active participation of the country’s marginalised and underprivileged communities at every stage of the upcoming national budget for FY 2026-27, from formulation to implementation.
They also stressed the need for equitable sub-sector allocations, along with strict monitoring mechanisms, to ensure justice for vulnerable groups.
The discussion, titled “National Budget: Fair Allocation, Partnership, Implementation, and Monitoring for Marginalised Communities”, was organised by the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) at The Daily Star Centre in Dhaka.
ALRD Deputy Executive Director Rowshan Jahan Moni moderated the session, while Gazi Sarwardi, head of the research team at the Centre for Research and Development (CRD), presented a keynote survey report.
The report reviewed allocations and expenditures of the previous fiscal year and placed specific budgetary recommendations for marginalised groups in the upcoming fiscal year across six major thematic areas.
It proposed an allocation of Tk 1,09,703 crore for 6.30 crore agrarian families in FY 2026-27.
The report recommended expanding the coverage of government-issued “Farmer Cards” to all poor farmers, ensuring fair crop prices, increasing public procurement, and expanding warehouse storage capacities across the country.
To support over six crore rural women, the report recommended a minimum allocation of Tk 1,04,451 crore.
For more than 52 lakh people from indigenous communities, the survey sought an allocation of Tk 9,115 crore.
It also called for a specialised community-based census to update ethnic statistics, funding for a separate land commission for plain-land indigenous communities, and at least Tk 1,000 crore to rehabilitate willing settlers from the CHT to the plains.
For youth development, the report proposed an allocation of Tk 61,805 crore, prioritising human resource development, vocational education, digital skills, mental health support, entrepreneurship training, and safe migration opportunities.
To address the plight of over 1.33 crore urban poor, it recommended Tk 23,177 crore to finance long-term housing projects on non-agricultural government khas land, introduce low-interest housing loans, and expand tailored social safety net programmes.
The report also urged the government to allocate Tk 2,16,318 crore for land, agriculture, and waterbody reforms, saying the allocation would directly affect nearly 12.5 crore people.
Speakers urged the government to establish a permanent National Land and Agricultural Reform Commission, set up a dedicated monitoring cell, and intensify the recovery of khas land and waterbodies.
They said structural changes in livelihoods would not be possible without such reforms.
Journalist Sohrab Hasan said the state has a highly limited connection with marginalised communities, although a large section of the population belongs to these groups.
He called for equitable distribution of revenue based on fairness and justice.
Senior journalist Abu Sayeed Khan called for decentralising budget management, saying budget justice can only be ensured if lawmakers truly represent their regional and marginalised constituents.
