In the coming budget, allocation for telecom has decreased by Tk. 266 crores
The presentation of the proposed budget for the financial year 2024-25 has begun. Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali started the budget speech titled 'Commitment to Build a Happy, Prosperous, Advanced and Smart Bangladesh' after the Parliament session started at 3 pm on Thursday.
In the proposed budget, the allocation of the Ministry of Science and Technology has increased by Tk 1,540 crore. Similarly, the allocation of information and communication technology division has increased by Tk 489 crore. However, the allocation of the budget for the 2024-25 financial year has decreased by Tk 266 crore in the Department of Posts and Telecommunications.
In the upcoming budget, in terms of taka, the Ministry of Science and Technology is getting a total allocation of 13 thousand 573 crores. Also, 2 thousand 420 crores are being allocated for Posts and Telecommunication Division and 2872 crores are being allocated for Information and Communication Technology Division.
In the proposed budget, 2 thousand 368 crores taka was allocated to the Information Technology Division in the last financial year. After which the amount in the revised budget stood at 2 thousand 383 crores. Compared to the revised final budget, the ICT Division has received Tk 489 crore more than the last financial year.
In the proposed budget, 13 thousand 607 crore taka was allocated to the Ministry of Science and Technology in the last financial year. Which was later reduced to Tk 12 thousand 33 crore in the revised budget. Compared to the revised final budget, the IT department has received Tk 1,540 crore more this year than the last financial year.
On the other hand, in the proposed budget, 2 thousand 434 crore taka was allotted to the post and telecommunication division in the last financial year. Which was later increased to 2 thousand 686 crores in the revised budget. Compared to the revised final budget, the ICT Division has received Tk 266 crore more than the last financial year.
In the budget speech, the finance minister said that under the science, research, telecommunication and information technology sectors, with the aim of establishing a knowledge-based society by 2041, special research grants of Tk 221 crore 66 lakh have been provided from the fiscal year 2009-10 to the fiscal year 2023-24 in various projects of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
It is said that the cost of the Internet has significantly reduced, resulting in the expansion of web-based employment and business opportunities. In 2008, the lowest price of fixed internet bandwidth per Mbps was Tk 27 thousand, now it is only Tk 60. Low-cost high-speed internet has been extended even up to Union level.
