Dhaka, June 1 -- With the general election approaching amid a volatile global economy, the Sheikh Hasina government is set to unveil the national budget for the fiscal year starting on Jul 1.

In the last budget under the current term of the government, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal will be forced to make tough decisions as he faces a daunting task of striking a balance between political expectations and economic hardships.

As the election is barely seven months away, the ruling Awami League expects him to shore up public support by bankrolling Prime Minister Hasina's vision of a "Smart Bangladesh" without heavily burdening members of the public who are in a cost-of-living crisis due to global economic headwinds.

The government, ho...