Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCD has hailed the national budget for fiscal 1996 97 discussing it as unique one. reports BSS

The member of Board of Directors of BCI at an emer gency meeting on Tuesday with its president A M Subid Ali in the ♦chair, also appreci ated the Finance Minister s frank confession of losing Taka 2.300 crore this year alone by stateowned enterprises which would, otherwise, have increased gross domestic savings by two per cent in Bangladesh and suggested to privatise them without further delay and appealed to the government stop pouring money to the oven of subsidy and reduce this cancerous national wastages once and for all.

BCI commended the high est allocation for education and transport sector, more allocation to health and family welfare sector than in previous year, the proposed 47 per cent Annual Development Progra mme (ADP) lor 1996 97 being financed by domestic re sources, setting up of agricultural subsidy fund of Taka 100 crore In the ADP

The chamber also hailed reduction of duties on agricul tural inputs and equipments, tins/ Jars for agro processing industry, subsidising 80 per cent of interest cost on the credit for purchase of Irrigation equipment and other agricultural equipment for the acceleration of development in the agricultural sector

BCI welcome a block allocation of Taka 100 cr fund for

new poverty alleviation pro jects benefitting poor, the set ting up of Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) with Taka 135 crore as capital to provide micro finance for micro credit generating employment For micro credit project* the bud get has also allocated Taka 100 crore from revenue and development budget

BCI welcomed the Finance Minister for taking up an ex perimental scheme on a iim Ited scale-for the rehabilitation of sick specialised textile and power loom Industries but maintained that the govern ment has not gone far enough to rehabilitate the other sick industries recognised by the previous government which often referred by Prime Minister Sheikh Haaina