Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for the first time in the history of Bangladesh, presented the budget for the 2019-20 fiscal as Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal struggled with his illness.

This year’s budget session was a number of firsts with this being Kamal’s first budget and the prime minister completing his address.

Kamal started presenting the budget at the Parliament at 3:07 pm on Thursday (Jun 13) after attending a cabinet meeting for the budget approval which was presided over by PM Hasina.

He, however, had to stop after a little while on account of his health and after taking two breaks in the speech that he was fumbling through, the minister requested another Cabinet member to take over on his behalf.

In a rare turn of events, the very first of its kind, the prime minister herself volunteered to continue Kamal’s address and relieve him.

Clad in an off-white and maroon Jamdani, PM Hasina sought Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury’s permission to take over which she was permitted to do.

She presented the budget sitting down with the Speaker’s permission.

There was a slightly comic moment during the speech as well when the prime minister had to thank herself while reading out the address.

“I’m reading out from the finance minister’s speech. I wouldn’t have thanked myself if it was mine,” she said making everyone laugh.

On Tuesday (Jun 11) the 72-year-old finance minister went to Apollo Hospital in as he had been suffering from a fever for a few days.
His family and the ministry remained tight-lipped about his health condition but as speculations grew,
ministry official Gazi Towhidul Islam, said that the minister was “completely healthy” and he was in Apollo for a routine medical check-up.