Dhaka, June 14 -- National budgets are usually discussed in the language of economics. Analysts focus on revenue collection, fiscal deficits, inflation management, and growth targets. Yet a budget is much more than a financial document. It is also a social contract. It reveals how a state prioritises competing needs, allocates resources among different groups, and imagines the future of its citizens. From a sociological perspective, therefore, a budget is not merely about counting money; it is about measuring justice.

The proposed national budget for fiscal year 2026-27, amounting to Tk 9.38 trillion, is the largest in Bangladesh's history. The government has set a GDP growth target of 6.5 per cent and aims to bring inflation down to 7.5...