Digital platforms can enhance connectivity between people and budget-makers: Atiur Rahman

Digital platforms can facilitate interactions between parliamentarians and citizens and ensuring effective participation of people in the formulation and implementation process of the national budget can accelerate people friendly and inclusive development, said Professor Atiur Rahman, Unnayan Shamannay chair and former governor of the Bangladesh Bank.

"The budget for the next fiscal year is going to be proposed under special circumstances. There are the demands for recovery following the pandemic and on the other hand, there is pressure to go for a somewhat contractionary fiscal policy in the context of the national macroeconomic situation caused by the geopolitical turmoil," he said at the inauguration of "Digital Budget Information Helpdesk" programme on Sunday.

Stakeholders will be looking to this budget to direct towards a balanced approach. In this context, the services of the Digital Budget Information Helpdesk will be especially useful for the stakeholders, he added.

The programme was inaugurated by the Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Information Hasanul Haq Inu.

Under the programme, parliamentarians, media professionals, researchers, and other stakeholders will be able to get budget-related research and information support from the research team of Unnayan Shamannay.

At the same time, by using the "Amader Shangshad" (Our Parliament) website, voters will be able to communicate their budget-related demands and suggestions to their respective parliamentarians.

Additionally, before and after the budget for the next fiscal year is proposed, budget-related live discussion sessions will be broadcasted via social media platforms where people will be able to directly interact with the experts concerned.

Hasanul Haq Inu pointed out that lawmakers are especially interested to know the extent to which the budgets are aligned with the national macroeconomic aspirations. It would be appreciated if those responsible for the digital helpdesk can provide data and research support to track these issues.

Unnayan Shamannay has been providing budget-related information and research support to parliamentarians from the Budget Information Help Desk operated by the Bangladesh National Parliament during budget sessions.

This year, the Digital Budget Information Help Desk initiative has been launched to provide similar support to both parliamentarians as well as other stakeholders.

The online launching event was moderated by the organisation's Project Coordinator Zahid Rahman and the closing remarks were delivered by the organisation's Emeritus Fellow and eminent sociologist Khondoker Shakhawat Ali.