Dhaka, June 19 -- The proposed national budget for FY2025-26 has drawn sharp criticism from economists and civil society representatives, who described it as a missed opportunity that fails to meet the needs of marginalised communities amid ongoing economic uncertainty.

Speaking at a dialogue titled "National Budget 2025-26: What Did the Marginalised Get?" held in Dhaka on Wednesday, Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), expressed disappointment over the budget. "Expectations were high following a significant political transition, but the budget has turned out to be a disappointment," he said. Bhattacharya also noted that the interim government bypassed the formal process of seeking cabi...