Stopping corruption impossible without cleaning up top echelons of politics
Asia Pacific University vice-chancellor and former caretaker government adviser Jamilur Reza Choudhury said Sunday that it would be impossible to stamp out corruption from Bangladesh until and unless the nation’s top echelons of politics were cleaned up.
Speaking at a seminar organized by the Anti-Corruption Commission at its head office as part of its corruption prevention week, Jamil said that the unholy nexus between politicians and bureaucrats ‘breeds corruption in this country.’ ‘The unholy nexus was getting stronger by the day,’ he said.
Without breaking the unholy nexus curbing corruption would remain a distant dream, said Jamilur Reza Chowdhury. He said that a majority of the MPs committed forgery by submitting false wealth statements to the Election Commission with their nomination papers.
‘How could we expect them to protect our rights in Parliament when they began their journey by providing false statement?’ he asked.
He called nepotism as the root cause of corruption as it breeds massive irregularities during recruitments, transfers and postings by the government.
Expressing his frustrations over the ACC’s activities he advised the ACC catch some of known corrupt people at the ‘top level’. If the ACC succeeds in catching at least some of the big chaps known for indulging in corruption it would create pressure on the others, he said.
ACC chairman Iqbal Mahmood said that transparency in bureaucracy could prevent corruption as bureaucrats were working everywhere including the public and the private sectors as well as on the political arena. He said government officials who love their chairs more than their duties usually compromise with corruption.
He said that the ACC had plans to jail some of the officials who love their chairs more than their work.
He requested politicians to refrain from starting their parliamentary journey with falsehood as another general election was in the corner.
ACC commissioner Nasiruddin Ahmed said that the health service and the power utility were causing the highest public sufferings as none could get their service without greasing the palms of officials posted there.
Speaking as a guest speaker, barrister M Amirul Islam said political pollution was bound the affect the whole society unless quality of was improved immediately.
He urged the government to appoint an ombudsman to check evil practices.
Former Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Khondkar Ibrahim Khaled advised the ACC to launch a campaign not to cast votes for the corrupt candidates.
Communist Party of Bangladesh president Mujahidul Islam Selim said that corruption became pervasive in all the sectors due to banishing ideological politics.
Former minister Mizanur Rahman Shelley said that without establishing accountability it would never be possible to free the administration and the society from the grip of corruption.
Ekushey TV CEO Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul moderated the seminar while East West University treasurer AZM Shafiqul Alam presented the keynote paper.
Among the guest speakers were former caretaker government advisor M Hafiz Uddin Khan, Dhaka University professor Zarina Rahman Khan, ruling Awami League MP M Rahamatullah, Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik secretary Badiul Alam Majumder, Transparency International Bangladesh Executive director Iftekharuzzaman, BNP leader Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf, journalists Sohrab Hossain and Mozammal Babu, ACC commissioner AFM Aminul Islam and lawyer Tania Amir.
- Courtesy: New Age /Apr 02, 2018
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