Staff Correspondent:

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality through sustained investment in gender-responsive budgeting, with a total gender-relevant allocation of Tk260,766.6 crore in national budget for FY26 —amounting to 33 percent of the total outlay.

While this year’s gender allocation represents 4.2 percent of the GDP—slightly lower than the revised 4.4 percent in FY25, it continues a strong trajectory of integrating gender parity across public expenditure, according to the Finance Ministry’s Gender Budget Report 2025-26, titled “Fostering Gender Parity in Bangladesh.”

The gender finance tracking system in Bangladesh includes both operating and development budgets, reflecting a holistic approach to embedding gender equity within public finance mechanisms.

Over the years, Bangladesh has seen not just a consistent rise in the proportion of the budget tagged as gender-relevant, but also a substantial increase in the size of these allocations.

This year’s operating budget alone allocates Tk170,985.9 crore for gender-responsive purposes—31.4 percent of the total operating budget of Tk544,390.1 crore.

This remains consistent with the previous fiscal year’s 31.4 percent and reflects ministries’ increasing focus on integrating gender considerations into core services and administration.

Notably, this allocation has grown from Tk165,094 crore in FY25, Tk157,516.3 crore (32.5 percent) in FY 24, and Tk131,344.5 crore (31.4 percent) in FY23.

The development budget, while seeing a modest decrease in proportional allocation, continues to uphold gender priorities.

The proposed allocation for FY26 is Tk89,780.7 crore, or 36.6 percent of the Tk245,608.6 crore development budget.

This follows a trend from previous years: 37.9 percent in FY25, 36.8 percent in FY24, and 37.5 percent in FY23.

The report acknowledges that while the development budget’s gender-relevant share has slightly moderated, the allocation still demonstrates a sustained emphasis on gender-sensitive initiatives, particularly in critical sectors like infrastructure, education, and health.

Importantly, the overall share of gender-responsive spending in the national budget has remained steady—34.1 percent in both FY25 and FY24, and 33.7 percent in FY23—underscoring consistent government efforts toward gender mainstreaming.

The Gender Budget Report noted that the integration of gender perspectives into public finance planning is no longer limited to select programs, but is now a structural feature across ministries and agencies.

While the report highlights the slight decline in GDP share and development allocations, it also emphasises that these figures still reflect a robust commitment to gender equity.

The continuation of strong allocations even amidst economic and administrative transitions signals that gender-sensitive budgeting is well-entrenched within the national planning framework.

The government’s approach, the report said, is aimed not only at achieving gender parity in numbers but also in outcomes—empowering women and marginalised groups through greater access to resources, services, and opportunities.