The budget session for the upcoming fiscal (2018-19) has begun at the 10th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Tuesday morning.
This is the last budget session of the incumbent Awami League government and 21st session of the current Jatiya Sangsad.
President M Abdul Hamid on May 16 summoned the session and it has been decided today that the session would continue till July 12.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith will place his 12th budget and 10th in a row on June 7.
The House proceeding began after 11:00 in the morning with Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury in the chair.
The Speaker said it is a very important session and urged the lawmakers to make constructive deliberations on budget.
She nominates a panel of five Chairpersons and they are Abul Kalam Azad, Shamsul Haque Tuku, Mahbub Ali, Fakhrul Imam and Safura Begum.
In the absence of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, the person whose name is at the top of the panel, from amongst those present in the sitting, takes the Chair.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the Working Advisory Committee of the Jatiya Sangsad has decided to continue the session till July 12, but it can be extended or shortened if Speaker wishes.
The committee meeting was presided over by the Speaker and attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to Parliament Secretariat, during Ramadan the session will start from 10:30 in the morning and after Ramadan, it will start after 3 in the afternoon.
The budget debate will continue for 40 hours while Eid vacation has been fixed from June 13 to 17.
BSS adds: Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith will place the budget proposal for the fiscal year 2018-19 at 12:30 pm on June 7. The proposed budget for FY2018-19 will be passed in this session.
As the finance minister, Muhith will place his 12th budget. Muhith placed his first budget for FY1982-83 during the Ershad government.
According to the Parliament Secretariat, all preparations have been completed to hold the session timely and as part of the budget session, a “Budget Information Help Desk” has been set up at the third level of the Northern-East Block of the Parliament Bhaban.
Apart from the budget, some important bills may pass in the current session.
Earlier, the 20th session of the 10th Jatiya Sangsad began on April 8 and concluded April 12. A total of five bills were passed during five working days of the 20th session.