& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Political backing helps spread large-scale graft

ACC seminar on curbing corruption told

Staff Correspondent
Political patronisation and electoral financing are catalysts in the spread of large-scale corruption, which, if it continues, could destabilise the country's socioeconomic and political structure, said politicians, civil society members, journalists and business leaders.
They warned that no one would be safe
if rights violation, which is a by-product of corruption, goes on unabated. They urged the political leaders to establish rule of law.
The observations came at a seminar titled "Role of Mass Media and Civil Society in Implementation of Political Pledges in Curbing Corruption", organised by the Anti-Corruption Commission to mark anti-corruption week at ACC auditorium in the capital.
"Corruption creates inequality among people, which goes against the principles of the Constitution. They don't get equal opportunities of legal shelter and public services," said former chief adviser to a caretaker government Muhammad Habibur Rahman.
The former chief justice said of the many cases filed against the heads of state, of government, ministers and politicians since 1991, only two were finally settled.
"The farce created over bail for the influential and corrupt politicians in attempts to draw them to the parties only tarnishes the image of the court. Hearings in their cases get delayed," the veteran jurist observed.
Speaking as the chief guest, Habibur Rahman said if the anti-corruption officials do not keep themselves updated with modern technology, the corrupt would always outsmart them.
Noted civil society leader Prof Muzaffer Ahmad said there could not be corruption if there was common political will against it.
"If the politicians in power are deep in corruption, common people cannot get rid of it," he said, adding that ensuring accountability of the politicians was an imperative in checking corruption.
In his keynote address, economist Dr Farashuddin Ahmed, former governor of Bangladesh Bank, said major corruption took place through amending laws in favour of certain quarters.
"If corruption in tender occurs under political shelter and if the political parties in power and in opposition together get engaged in sharing businesses, curbing
corruption gets very tough," he added.
He said it was the petty crimes that often become public, but not issues of funding of elections by big business companies. Media also did not talk much on this as all political parties accepted money and the same company financed all major parties, he added.
Stating that major corruption occurred in the public sector, Jatiya Party lawmaker Anisul Islam Mahmud said if the minister, secretary, additional secretaries and joint secretaries of a ministry were free from corruption, that sector could not suffer from major graft.
Federation of Bangladesh
Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) President AK Azad said there was no accountability in society, which was a major reason for corruption. Politicians and judges were supposed to make public statements of their wealth, but very few of them had done it, he said.
He demanded making public the names of those responsible for the recent share market scam.
BNP leader Dr Moyeen Khan said the ACC was often used as a means to harass the opposition, which must end.
The speakers said the socio-economic and political systems also allowed corruption. Therefore, maintaining a check and balance
in the state mechanism was necessary to curb corruption, they noted.
ACC Chairman Ghulam Rahman said the backlog of cases in court hampered the trial of corruption cases.
"If we cannot come out of such backlogs, the commission will have no bite; it will remain a toothless tiger," he said.
The speakers suggested strengthening the commission with logistics and efficient work force and making the role of civil society and media more active.
The Independent Editor Mahbubul Alam said though journalists' unions were divided, the media as a whole were playing a crucial
role in publishing reports on corruption, but much more can be done.
Lawmakers Fazle Rabbi Mia, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Huq Inu, Mayeen Uddin Khan Badal; Prof Dr Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, civil society leader Dr Badiul Alam Majumder, Daily Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar, News Today Editor Reazuddin Ahmed, CPB General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin also spoke at the seminar moderated by journalist Zahiduzzaman Faruk.