TDS Desk:

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Monday announced a budgetary allocation of Tk2,956 crore for the Election Commission in the proposed national budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year.

Of the total allocation, Tk2,727 crore has been set aside for the revenue budget, while Tk229 crore is earmarked for development purposes.

This marks a significant increase from the previous fiscal year, when the EC received Tk1,230 crore, later revised down to Tk1,142 crore.

While presenting the budget, Dr Salehuddin emphasised the interim government’s commitment to restoring democratic processes and ensuring credible elections.

“One of the key objectives of the interim government is to uphold the people’s right to vote through a free and fair election and to transfer power to a democratically elected government,” he said during his speech.

He further added: “Over the past one and a half decades, the country’s electoral system has been completely dismantled. Therefore, we have given the highest priority to reforming the electoral system and have undertaken initiatives to amend and reform various laws, policies, and orders to this end.”

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed presented the proposed budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, amounting to Tk7,89,999 crore, in a televised speech on Monday.