Bangladesh’s public expenditure is failing to keep up with the country’s expanding economy, hampering the implementation of development programs and the provision of expected services. In the fiscal year 2021-22, public expenditure accounted for 13.05% of the GDP, totaling Tk 518,191 crore. The government’s target expenditure for the current fiscal year is Tk 678,064 crore, but sluggish execution of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) may hinder reaching this goal. The low implementation capacity of government agencies and insufficient revenue collection, particularly by the National Board of Revenue (NBR), contribute to the issue. Bangladesh ranks low in public expenditure compared to other economies, and analysts stress the need to increase the national budget to enhance public services, focusing on sectors like health, education, infrastructure, and social protection. However, addressing the problems of revenue collection, implementation capacity, corruption, and governance is vital to ensure effective public investment management and improved service delivery.
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