The government is reviewing the size of the national budget and the Annual Development Programme as revenue collection faces strain and development spending slows, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said on Wednesday.
He spoke to reporters after separate meetings of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase and the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
“The budget was realistic when it was prepared, based on data and assumptions at that time. But implementation has revealed fresh challenges in revenue mobilisation, project delivery and the broader macroeconomic environment,” he said.
The sharpest pressure, he indicated, has come from weaker revenue inflow, particularly from the National Board of Revenue.
“Temporary disruptions in some NBR activities have slowed collections, affecting our fiscal position and prompting a reassessment of spending,” he said.
He also flagged uneven execution of development projects, saying that delays in approvals, administrative hurdles and poor preparedness among some ministries have slowed spending under the ADP.
“Implementation capacity varies. Some agencies are moving slower than expected and that impacts overall delivery,” he said.
He, however, dismissed the possibility of large-scale budget cuts, describing the adjustment as measured rather than structural.
“There will be no drastic contraction. Some minor recalibration may happen, but it will not deviate fundamentally from the approved plan,” he said.
Major macro targets have already been revised. The Finance Division has proposed lowering the Gross Domestic Product growth projection to 5% from 5.5%, while the Fiscal Coordination Committee has sought to reset inflation at 7% instead of 6.5%.
“Fiscal discipline and value for money will guide every decision, but development priorities will remain intact,” he said.
He added that spending and revenue trends will be reviewed in the coming months to find savings without holding back key sectors.
“Our focus is continuity with caution—protecting critical public investment in infrastructure, agriculture and social protection while maintaining stability,” he said.
