Next budget’s highest priority is to tame inflation: Waseqa

State Minister for Finance Waseqa Ayesha Khan on Tuesday said the next budget will give the highest priority on reining inflation.

"There are problems of inflation across the world, Bangladesh is not exempt from that. Fertilizers, seeds and electricity for irrigation are given maximum subsidies. The government is working very seriously for food security," she said.

Waseqa said this while speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of a project titled "Promoting Agricultural Commercialization and Enterprises (PACE)", organized at Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Bhaban in the city, said a press release.

She said PKSF is working tirelessly to build a Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty, as envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She noted that this apex development agency, established by the government, is working for sustainable development of the microenterprise sector.

PKSF has gained national and international recognitions for its efficiency and capacity in poverty alleviation through employment generation, she added.

She remarked that PKSF's outstanding work is undoubtedly playing a crucial role in realizing a Smart Bangladesh by 2041, as envisioned by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

PKSF implemented the PACE project from 2015-2023 to develop the microenterprise sector, particularly focusing on the commercial expansion of agro-related enterprises. The project, with a budget of USD 129 million, was funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The special guest at the closing ceremony was Dr Arnoud Hameleers, country director of IFAD Bangladesh.

He stated that Bangladesh has reached the level of an 'almost developed' country and highlighted that PACE is the second highest quality project among nearly 700 IFAD-funded projects worldwide.

Dr Arnoud pledged that IFAD will continue to collaborate with PKSF to make Bangladesh's agricultural sector more productive and sustainable.

PKSF Chairman Dr. M. Khairul Hossain, also the chair of the programme, said the PACE project has increased people's technical knowledge and given them the dream of a new life besides creating employment.

He noted that PACE has furthered the country's stride to realize Bangabandhu's dream of economic prosperity, and freedom from discrimination and deprivation for the people of Bangladesh.

Managing Director of the PKSF Dr Nomita Halder, ndc, said under the PACE project, 88 sub-projects were implemented in 15 agricultural and 15 non- agricultural sub-sectors.

She said a noteworthy intervention was to protect the ecosystem of the Halda River, thereby increasing production and expanding markets for carp fishes that spawn in the river.

She added that 60 percent of the micro-entrepreneurs supported by this project are women.

PKSF's Additional Managing Director Md Fazlul Kader gave a presentation on the success, achievements, and lessons learned from the PACE project.

Board Members of PKSF, representatives of different development partners and PKSF's Partner organisations expressed their views during the open discussion session.

Additionally, project participants shared their experiences and a documentary on the project activities was screened at the event.