The report that annoyed the minister
A typical characteristic of most of our politicians is that they are quick to react to any criticism that goes against their parties—even if it's good. At times too quick even without knowing if it was a criticism at all.
Revelations of a study conducted by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) had shown that a total of 222 hours and 36 minutes were wasted during the 19 sessions of the parliament from 2009 to 2013, which is equivalent to some Tk. 104 crore. The point is: even if findings from the study are wrong or the methodologies used for the study did not meet up with international standards, one must at least make the effort to prove it.
The law minister's immediate branding of the TIB's observation of ninth parliament's quorum as 'biased' and 'unexpected' was not only overtly reactive but also raises the question of what type of study report does the minister expect from an anti-corruption watchdog? In an attempt to defend his stance about the TIB report as biased, he told a group of journalists last Tuesday that as the BNP-led opposition attended the ninth parliament for only 70 days so the motive behind conducting the study was 'biased.'
So, should we assume it to be TIB's duty to have ensured that the main opposition of the parliament were present, so that a rosier picture regarding the quorum of the ninth parliament could have been drawn? Or should the TIB have consulted the ruling party before preparing the quorum report?
If in case parameters are required, then all independent study and research related tasks carried out by regulators should be subjected to a 'government prescribed rulebook,' so that the reports become more 'anticipatory' and 'unbiased' for the ruling class.
As far as an independent research based study is concerned, it does not require a benchmark for appeasing a certain political party. Given the facts of TIB's study on the quorum crisis, no particular statement from the TIB's end either vilified the ruling party or glorified the BNP-led opposition during the years of the ninth parliament. The report, in fact, exposed the grim political reality of Bangladesh regarding wastage of government's money and time. Moreover, the report can easily be taken as an eye-opener for assessing how public money is wasted in Bangladesh.
We welcome the efforts for preparing any report as long as it is ethical, unbiased and prepared according to a correct set of methodologies.
The writer is Current Affairs Analyst, The Daily Star.
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