Budget size alone won't deliver results if public funds are misused: Attorney General

Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal has stressed that ensuring transparency and preventing the misuse of public funds are more important than simply increasing the size of the national budget.

Speaking to reporters at his office on Thursday (June 11), the Attorney General said a larger budget would have little value if a significant portion of public money was lost through inefficiency, waste or corruption.

“If 20 to 30 per cent of the budget is siphoned off or misused, there is little benefit in having a larger budget. What matters is whether public funds are spent honestly and for their intended purposes,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of fiscal discipline, he urged government departments to spend only what is genuinely necessary and to ensure accountability in the use of public resources.

The Attorney General also pointed to budgetary constraints within his own office, noting that legal officers often bear certain litigation-related expenses from their personal funds while continuing to perform their duties in the state's interest.

Referring to the common practice of rushing expenditures at the end of the fiscal year to avoid unused allocations being returned to the treasury, he said public institutions should not spend money merely to prevent budget allocations from lapsing.

Citing a recent example, he revealed that his office had decided not to proceed with a proposed purchase of office furniture worth Tk 19 lakh because there was no immediate necessity for it.

“If there is no real requirement, the money should be returned rather than spent unnecessarily simply because the fiscal year is ending,” he said.

The Attorney General further emphasised the need for cost-consciousness in public administration, saying government expenditures should be guided by necessity, value for money and public interest.

“Every taka in the state treasury comes from the hard-earned money of the people. It must be used responsibly and for the welfare of the country and its citizens,” he said.

Underscoring the importance of prudent spending, he argued that effective management of public resources and curbing waste would ultimately have a greater impact than increasing budgetary allocations alone.

His remarks came as the government unveiled its proposed national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year, placing renewed focus on fiscal governance, efficiency and accountability in public spending.