Every malady has a remedy. Anti-corruption is considered the most effective remedy for corruption.
April 7, 2006 (Press Release) --
Every malady has a remedy. Anti-corruption is considered the most effective remedy for corruption. Bangladesh's rating for the fifth consecutive year as the world's most corrupt country clearly testifies to the nation's failure, by design or by default, to apply the remedy. An Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was instituted some years ago by an act of Parliament to address this issue and clear the name of the country from the shameful stigma. Unfortunately, the anti-graft body headed by a judge of the highest court of justice has remained bogged down in internal squabbling and procedural quagmire with little support from the government in providing it the necessary wherewithal or the essential rules of business. If the commission itself is sick it is futile to expect it to apply the remedy, particularly when corruption is endemic at the top echelon of the society.
A report that the Commission is going to sit on April 9 to take a decision on the question of asking the ministers and members of Parliament for a detailed account of their assets raises the hope that the move will lead to establishing a norm that has long been felt necessary. Maybe all the ministers and MPs are clean but they ought to prove it for the sake of transparency. It is proper that the probe should begin with the representatives of the people. It is also timely as the next general election is forthcoming soon. By law it is the duty of the Election Commission to ensure transparency in regard to the assets and liabilities of candidates seeking election but it has always preferred to turn a blind eye to the questionable declarations submitted by the candidates, This apathy has encouraged the corrupt to become more corrupt and persuaded the honest to indulge in corruption. The present Election Commission is yet another constitutional body engrossed in internal squabbles robbing it of much of its authority to deal effectively with a host of election issues looming in the horizon.
If the anti-graft body succeeds in making the public representatives as well as the high officials declare their assets and take punitive actions against those found at fault it will have rendered a laudable service in cleansing the society. If the big fishes are caught and dealt with in an exemplary fashion the lesser fries will learn in no time. We would like to hope that the Election Commission will join hands with the Anti-Corruption Commission in using the coming general election as a good
A report that the Commission is going to sit on April 9 to take a decision on the question of asking the ministers and members of Parliament for a detailed account of their assets raises the hope that the move will lead to establishing a norm that has long been felt necessary. Maybe all the ministers and MPs are clean but they ought to prove it for the sake of transparency. It is proper that the probe should begin with the representatives of the people. It is also timely as the next general election is forthcoming soon. By law it is the duty of the Election Commission to ensure transparency in regard to the assets and liabilities of candidates seeking election but it has always preferred to turn a blind eye to the questionable declarations submitted by the candidates, This apathy has encouraged the corrupt to become more corrupt and persuaded the honest to indulge in corruption. The present Election Commission is yet another constitutional body engrossed in internal squabbles robbing it of much of its authority to deal effectively with a host of election issues looming in the horizon.
If the anti-graft body succeeds in making the public representatives as well as the high officials declare their assets and take punitive actions against those found at fault it will have rendered a laudable service in cleansing the society. If the big fishes are caught and dealt with in an exemplary fashion the lesser fries will learn in no time. We would like to hope that the Election Commission will join hands with the Anti-Corruption Commission in using the coming general election as a good
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