Finance and Planning Minister Ameer Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has stated that expanding tax revenue and increasing both domestic and foreign investment are the government’s top priorities to overcome the country’s economic challenges.

Speaking to journalists on Friday afternoon after visiting the proposed site for a government hospital in Patenga, Chattogram, the minister said the economic recovery plan will focus heavily on strengthening revenue collection and attracting greater investment. He added that the upcoming national budget will place special emphasis on education, healthcare, and employment generation.

Highlighting the importance of investment, he noted that job creation is not possible without increased investment. Employment, he said, remains a major component of the BNP’s election commitments, which is why the government is prioritizing both local and foreign investors. The next budget will give the highest importance to employment, and all necessary steps will be taken to implement related initiatives.

As the Member of Parliament for Chattogram-11 (Bandar and Patenga), Ameer Khasru said that residents of Patenga have long demanded a major hospital due to the absence of a large medical facility in the area. In response, the government has initiated plans to establish a large general hospital offering specialized services. There are also plans to set up a nursing institute and a separate institute for medical technologists.

Later in the afternoon, the minister visited land acquired by the Bangladesh Navy in the Muslimabad area near Marine Drive, west of BANOJA Ulka Abad Area-2. He also inspected 14.21 acres of Navy-acquired land designated for the construction of the proposed government hospital in Patenga.