অর্থবছর ও ব্যয় সম্পর্কিত ভাষণ
৩০ আগস্ট ১৯৫৭
করাচী
The constituent assembly of Pakistan:
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Sir, I beg to move:
“That the Bill to regulate the financial year of Pakistan, be taken into consideration.”
(Mr. Speaker: Do you want to speak on it?)
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Yes, Sir, I would like to say a few words. I have introduced this Bill to regulate the financial year of Pakistan. As you are aware, Sir, at present we have the fiscal year from 1st March. You also know, Sir, the difficulties that we experience in the matter of our development work on account of this. Particularly so far as East Pakistan is concerned, you are aware, that the rainy season starts just in the month of March and continues till June. Our difficulty in East Pakistan in that we cannot spend the money and we have to surrender it. The reason for not spending the money is that immediately after the budget is passed, there is rainy season in that part for seven months. Sir, my suggestions is not new. In fact, it has been discussed by our Finance Minister and many financial experts of our country. In may countries of the world, the financial year starts from the months of June or July; in some countries it starts in December, as may be convenient to them.
Sir, another important point is that our “foreign exchange year” commences from the 1st of July and is divided in two halves, that is, July to December and January to June. If the financial year starts from March, as it does at present, we do not understand the actual position of our foreign exchange. If the financial year is changed as suggested by me, it will also be helpful to Pakistan to regulate estimate on foreign exchange requirements correctly.
Sir, I can advance many arguments in support of my Bill, but I do not think it is necessary to do so, as the Government and financial experts of our country accept that there should be some change so far as the fiscal year is concerned.
The difficulties that I have spoken of are not only for East Pakistan, but in West Pakistan also, in the former Punjab and other areas, when there are floods, the difficulty about development works and repairs to the canals, etc., is experienced and in such circumstances the money cannot be spent, but in East Pakistan specially the difficulty is always there. Sir, as you also come from the part of the country, you know the difficulties that we experience. You come from a part where no work can be done in rainy season.
Sir, the difficulty is that just before the end of March the Finance Department asks all the Departments to intimate that so much money has been spent and so much money could not be spent and it is re-adjusted in the next budget. By the time the next budget is passed and Government sanctions some projects, the rainy season starts and we cannot work. This happens in East Pakistan every year and then the Government of Pakistan blames the East Pakistan Government for not spending the money sanctioned to them during that fiscal year. For these reasons I have suggested in my Bill that the fiscal year should be changed and should be from 1st August to 31st July. This will be in the interest of development and betterment of the country.
Sir, I do not want to deliver a long speech about it. I think it is the considered opinion of the House and everybody from the Government side, and I think the Opposition side also has no objection to it.
With these few words, I move for consideration of this Bill and request the House to accept it.
Reference:
Iqbal, S. (1997) Sheikh Mujib in Parliament (1955-58), p. 362-365, Dhaka, Agami Prakashani
বঙ্গবন্ধুর ভাষণসমগ্র ১৯৪৮-১৯৭৫, সংগ্রামের নোটবুক