National Citizen Party MP Atiqur Rahman Mujahid has accused the government of discrimination in the allocation of public funds across districts, raising the issue during the discussion on the proposed 2026-27 budget.

“There were times when critics used to say ‘Gopalganj first’. Now should we say ‘Bogura first’? This is not the Bangladesh we want. If it is truly ‘Bangladesh first’, then every corner of the country must receive equal budgetary treatment,” he said while speaking at the parliament today.

Turning to defence issues, he argued that inadequate allocations during the Liberation War compelled Bangladesh to rely on India for unusable equipment. He recalled that former president Ziaur Rahman had once rejected a broken wireless set supplied by India, insisting instead on functional weapons and equipment.

Referring to the current budget proposal, Mujahid said that of the Tk 42,000 crore allocated for defence, Tk 35,000 crore had been earmarked for operational expenses, leaving only Tk 7,000 crore for capability development.

He warned of continuing security challenges, saying, “Every day our borders face intimidation. Myanmar is at war along our frontier. In the three hill districts, two army divisions are engaged against three insurgent groups, including the Kuki Chin.”

“We spend far less. To protect our freedom, even if we must skip a meal, we must allocate more for defence. Our sovereignty is under constant threat, and it is our duty to defend the nation,” he said.