Finance Minister AMA Muhith has cautioned that the BNP-led 20-party alliance’s blockade might have “dangerous” impacts on the country’s economy if it continued for a longer period of time.
Claiming that the BNP did not have enough public support to bring down the Awami League-led government, Muhith added that the party should consider altering its strategy on the current political movement.
The finance minister made the remarks yesterday following a meeting on amending the VAT Act 2012, which is one of the conditions for disbursement of two tranches of Extended Credit Facility programme of the International Monetary Fund.
The meeting was also attended by Finance Secretary Mahbub Ahmed and Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman.
Talking to reporters, Muhith said the ongoing blockade was only managing to claim people’s lives and harm the economy.
Asked whether the government would revise its projected 7.3% GDP growth for the year, the minister said: “We will not immediately revise the current fiscal year’s projected GDP growth; but if the BNP’s blockade continues, the government will consider revising the [projected] GDP.”
