More and more people in this country, especially among the educated elite, the business sector. parliamentarians and the media, have started talking of the spread of corruption at various levels ot(he administration. This is a general perception which many supporters of the government tend to dismiss for what they say lack of solid evidence Herein Ues the first hurdle tn the fight against corruption in Bangladesh — for that matter, tn any country — when a government as-sumes that its very admission of the existence of corruption makes the administration itself a guilty party. True, its inability or unwillingness to deal with the situation effectively reflects its failure in governance and erosion of its accountability. In such a situation, the government would be well-advised to admit that corruption exists in the country although it may well claim, in its defence. that it is. by and large, a problem inherited from the past. Whether the administration would be also honest enough to admit that the corruption has worsened during the past one year, eating into different levels of the decision-making system, is another matter

' There are of course a few redeeming features. There is the parliamentary probe committee, set up by the Speaker .of the Jatiya Sangsad (JS). Snaikh Razzak All to investigate into the opposition allegations of irregularities in the Ministry of Agriculture. Irrigation. Water Development and Flood Control. This precedent-making move opens the way for the involvement of the country's legislature in a vital area of national interest. What happens when the allegations against the ministry are either proved dr disproved — a clear-cut outcome would be most welcome — remains unclear. What's important, the JS should indeed start playing a role of a watchdog in the fight against corruption, perhaps by setting up a mechanism that, in one form or another, works closely with the Judiciary. The JS move closely followed the unceremonious "dismissal” from office of State Minister Nurul Huda, which immediately raised hopes for a crackdown on "irregularities'. perhaps through the setting up of a high-level enquiry committee. These hopes have now been dashed. It is just possible that the so-called irregularities that Huda has been found guilty of by Prime Minister Khaleda Zia have not provided the basis for a prima facte case of corruption against the former State Minister. On the other hand, the administration may not like to open the Pandora’s Box but. instead, handle the situation with its characteristic — some would say. indecisive — low-key approach. Finally, there are senior government leaders, such as Finance Minister Saifur Rahman and Planning Minister Zahlruddln Khan, who have spoken openly about corruption in the administration, without, we regret to say. offering a plan of action to light it.

Notwithstanding these redeeming features, we are far from sure that the government of Begum Zia has launched a battle against malpractices, to use the broadest possible term that covers anything between outright kickbacks and wrong-doing in trade. If we do not hear about a plan of action to fight corruption — the ideal place to reveal such a plan would be the parliament — we are yet to be .convinced that the government has developed a strong political will to deal with this evil>

Unless the government makes this political commitment, it would not know how it should proceed in fighting corruption, through what mechanism and laws. There may be a whole range of options which have been tried in this country and elsewhere, more often than not. with limited success We can go to extremes in creating the fear complex" among corrupt officials as has been done by the administration in Singapore, set up a Hongkong-type Independent Commission against Corruption vested with extra-Judicial powers." introduce capital punishment for the worst offenders as done in China or frame new laws, within the existing Judiciary system, as some experts are asking for in India. It is for the government of Begum Zia to decide on any of these options — or to create its own. What is important. the administration cannot sit on the problem loo long as if it does not exist. On this issue, as on so many others, it should be a race against time.