The all important budget session of the Jatiya Sangsad begins today (Tuesday) amidst announcement of boycott by the main opposition, the Bangladesh Awami League (AL).
Finance and Planning Minister M. Saifur Rahman will place the national budget for the fiscal 2005-06 in the House on June 09 next.

Speculations are high that the next budget would an election-oriented one. However, the finance minister has time and again dismissed such speculations saying that the next budget would be more focused on the goals of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).
Some economists have already expressed fear that an over-bloated public expenditure programme and tax and tariff relief might be proposed in the next budget, putting the fiscal balance in jeopardy.

Different chamber bodies and associations have already submitted their respective proposals to the government seeking tax-relief and other incentives. They are now eagerly waiting to see what remains in store for them in the proposed budget.

Meanwhile, the parliament secretariat has finalised its preparations for holding the budget session--- the 17 session of the present parliament. The duration and the work programme of the session would be finalised at a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the House today.

JS secretariat sources said until Monday, 1415 questions were submitted by the Members of Parliament (MPs) of which 61 are for the Prime Minister and the rest 1345 for the ministers. The secretariat has so far received 19 notices under rule 17 of the Rules of Procedure of the House.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the AL parliamentary party held on Monday with party chief and Leader of the Opposition in parliament Sheikh Hasina in the chair decided not to attend the budget session.

A BSS report adds: Government officials and many experts said improvement in law and order in the country has been contributing to the growth of the national economy. The positive impact of better law and order situation would be reflected in the next budget, they said.
However, the officials said they could determine the positive impact of improved law and order on the GDP exactly had there been no major natural disaster and political chaos.
They said during the last few years, some private think tanks and chamber bodies claimed that reduced rate of crimes, including extortion, would help the GDP grow by at least two percent annually.

The law and order has been gradually improving since Eid- ul-Fitr in October last despite some sporadic incidents, including the deadly attack on former finance minister SAMS Kibria.
Arrest of the alleged killers of Kibria, trial of the killers of AL lawmaker Ahsanullah Master, holding of Chittagong mayoral elections in free and fair manner and ongoing activities of RAB have helped restore confidence in the local and foreign investors, sources said.

Expansion of the economy not only depends on prudent economic policies but also on other non-economic factors, said Mohammad Hossain, a director of Rupali Bank.

Hossain, an eminent banker of the country, said the improved law and order have created a most favourable impact on the lowest tier of society. He said small traders and hawkers in cities and in rural areas have been staying out of their homes for a longer time without fear of extortionists. This has helped the economic activities to grow.

Measures taken by law-enforcers brought a major success during the last Eid-ul-Azha holiday when the smuggling of hides and skin was stopped, according to businesses.

An executive of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) said, "For the last consecutive eight months, I did not receive any report of any incident relating to tender dropping. There were also no reports in the media that any businessman was kidnapped from any place and kept on any public university campus for ransom."
The FBCCI leader said the media should focus on this recent phenomenon accurately.