Right to information act can prevent corruption

Observing that corruption has hurt the spirit and dream of the Liberation War and damaged the country's development, Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday suggested taking integrated initiatives that include making people more conscious about the right to information (RTI) act and its full implementation for corruption prevention.

 “Corruption has bred social degradation and discrimination. Ideologies and principles vanished in many professions because of corruption. Therefore, we have to prevent corruption at any rate,” he said.

He came up with the observations while speaking as chief guest at a seminar on “Anti-Corruption Drive and Success of the Leadership” organised by Bangladesh Progressive Columnist Forum (BPCF) at Jatiya Press Club.

The law minister said that RTI ensures free flow of information and can play an important role in creating transparency, ensuring accountability, and reducing corruption.

The right to information has empowered people. Therefore, it is possible to reduce corruption through properly using this law, he said.

Minister Anisul said a government information stock can be set up for providing information about corruption.

At the same time the use of national identity cards with photos and fingerprints and the database of signatures should be increased for this purpose, he said.

The law minister said prevention of corruption in the country is a very challenging issue due to many reasons and it is possible to prevent corruption under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“Political goodwill is needed for prevention of corruption which the Awami League government has already shown,” he said, adding that the government has doubled the salaries and allowances of government officials and employees, and made the Anti-Corruption Commission more active.

BPCF's Convener Prof Mizanur Rahman presided over the seminar, while Rabindra University Vice Chancellor Prof Bishwajit Ghosh, Maj Gen (retd) AK Mohammad Ali Shikder, former secretary Md Nasir Uddin, and columnists Dr Miltan Bishwash and Subhash Singha Roy spoke among others.