The interim government has directed ministries to halt funding for infrastructure projects, vehicle purchases, land acquisition, and foreign tours as part of efforts to revise the Tk 7.97 trillion national budget for FY2024-25.

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) issued revised budget guidelines on Thursday, instructing ministries to estimate their revised allocations and submit proposals by November 28. These measures aim to align spending with revenue projections and address the country’s ongoing economic challenges.

Key restrictions
The revised budget guidelines include the following directives:

• No New Allocations: Ministries are prohibited from requesting additional funds beyond their current allocations for any project under the operating or development budgets.
• Vehicle and Land Purchases Halted: Purchases of motorized vehicles and land acquisitions are suspended unless explicitly approved by the MoF.
• Building Projects Limited: Funding for office or residential buildings is restricted, except for projects in education, health, and agriculture. For partially completed projects (70% or more), funds may be released with MoF approval.
• Freeze on Foreign Tours: Expenditures related to study tours, seminars, and workshops involving civil servants are stopped.

Development budget adjustments

The government allocated Tk 2.81 trillion for development activities, including a Tk 2.65 trillion Annual Development Program (ADP). However, ministries are instructed not to transfer funds between budget components or from development to operating budgets without MoF approval.