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New strategy drawn up to fight graft

Wealth reports of MPs, judges, govt officials might be made mandatory

Rejaul Karim Byron
In a move to fight corruption, the government has drafted National Integrity Strategy that calls for mandatory publication of wealth statements of lawmakers, judges and government officials.
According to the strategy, a separate department will be set up to investigate corruption allegations.
Cabinet division officials said the draft spelt out the steps to be taken to check corruption and ensure good governance.
A finance ministry high-up said development partners especially Japan International Cooperation Agency and Asian Development Bank have been putting pressure on the government to prepare the strategy in the wake of corruption allegations over the Padma bridge project.
A high official of the Economic Relations Division said top Jica officials on several occasions communicated to government high-ups that if the strategy is not prepared, the government may face difficulties getting future commitments from Japan.
The finance ministry official said opposing views are there within the government about at least 15 key issues cited in the strategy.
The major reason behind the disagreement is if the issues are included in the strategy, development partners may attach those as conditions for the government for getting funds in future.
The draft strategy paper was placed in a cabinet meeting for approval in May, but it did not get through.
The cabinet formed a seven-member committee led by Finance Minister AMA Muhith for further scrutiny of the strategy.
The committee sat in June
and the members split over several key issues. It then sent back the draft to the cabinet division for further examination.
Appointment of ombudsman is a key issue in the strategy. Though it was an election pledge of the ruling party, the government is yet to appointany ombudsman.
The draft also says a law will be enacted to set up a separate department to investigate corruption allegations.
According to the draft, lawmakers, government officials and judges will have to submit their wealth statements to the authorities concerned for publication every year.
The government will frame rules and policies for appointing judges, election commissioners, the chairman of the Public Service Commission. Besides, an act will be passed
for appointing the attorney general forafive-year stint
The finance ministry official said the committee led by the finance minister would decide on whether these issues would be in the final strategy paper.
The strategy paper contains detailed action plans on parliament, Election Commission, comptroller and auditor general, Office of the Attorney General, Public Service Commission, ombudsman, the executive, the judiciary, local government, Anti-Corruption Commission.political parties, private sector and mass media.
There will be several committees for implementing the strategy. An advisory committee led by the prime minister will implement the action plans. Besides, there will be a National Integrity Implementation unit led by