Dhaka, March 19 -- Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Wednesday assured that the national budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year would be a rational one, prioritising pragmatic and locally needed projects in the Annual Development Programme (ADP).

"Pragmatic and local need-based projects will be given priority in the ADP for the next fiscal year, while the budget will be more or less rational," Dr Salehuddin said during a pre-budget meeting with senior journalists from print and electronic media at the Finance Ministry's Multipurpose Hall in the Bangladesh Secretariat.

He said that no "monument-type" projects involving billions of dollars would be taken, as such initiatives have failed to yield tangible benefits for the nation.

Tulsi G...