The National Citizen Party on Friday unveiled a ‘shadow budget’ for the 2026–27 financial year, proposing a Tk 8,52,157 crore spending plan focused on economic reform, job creation, revenue mobilisation and expanded social protection.

Titled ‘Bangladesh 2.0: Sustainable Growth through Reforms, Employment and Investment,’ the alternative budget was presented by NCP southern region chief organiser and lawmaker Hasnat Abdullah at the party’s central office at Banglamotor in the capital Dhaka.

The opposition party’s proposed budget is about Tk 62,000 crore larger than the current financial year’s budget and aims to limit the budget deficit to 3.09 per cent of gross domestic product.

The government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party will announce the FY27 national budget worth about Tk 9.30 lakh crore in the Jatiya Sangsad on June 11.

Hasnat criticised the state of the economy inherited by the current government, alleging that it had been driven by ‘looting’ and ‘capacity charges’ during the ousted Awami League regime and expressed concern over recent incidents at Bangladesh Bank and Islami Bank.

He, however, said that the NCP-proposed budget aimed to ensure that the benefits of development reach ordinary people.

The NCP outlined a plan to reduce inflation from the current level of about 9.2 per cent to 8 per cent in the next financial year and eventually to 6 per cent.

To boost revenue collection, the party proposed linking income tax return submissions with electricity connections and integrating taxpayer databases with national identity cards, banking services and mobile financial platforms.

It also recommended introducing a wealth tax and digitising port operations.

According to the party, these measures could generate an additional Tk 76,000 crore in revenue.

The proposals also include raising the tax-free income threshold to Tk 4.5 lakh, with higher limits for women, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

It also recommends recognising zakat as a tax rebate, introducing an inheritance tax and reducing corporate tax rates.

In the NCP-proposed budget, education and technology received the highest allocation of Tk 1,24,425 crore, while the health sector was allocated Tk 52,338 crore. The budget also aims to create one crore jobs within five years through support for small and medium enterprises, youth entrepreneurship and digital skills development.

The NCP’s 71-point reform-based budget further proposes financial sector reforms, renewable energy expansion, enhanced agricultural support and measures to strengthen transparency and accountability in public spending.

The party described the proposals as a blueprint for building a transparent, inclusive and investment-friendly state.