Ensure transparency in graft drive, trial

Transparency International (TI) Chairperson Huguette Labelle yesterday asked the government to ensure due process and transparency during anti-corruption drives and trial of the suspects.
"It is important that due process takes place, the prosecution is done in a fair, objective and honest manner. Integrity needs to be at the top," Labelle said, stressing the need for prosecutors' being free from political influence.
The TI chief was speaking at a press conference at Hotel Sonargaon, concluding her two-day visit to Bangladesh. She also talked about the upcoming elections, transparency in revenue and budget systems, independent functioning of institutions like the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Election Commission.
Labelle also made the point during her meeting with the chief adviser and the Anti-Corruption Commission chairman yesterday.
"During investigation and trial, each person needs to be treated fairly, based on the evidence. If there is evidence, it needs to be investigated well and then turned over to justice system," Labelle said.
Asked if she thinks the anti-corruption drives have succeeded, she said a lot of right measures are being taken to put things in right places which is important for reducing corruption. "But it will not happen overnight. People will get a sense of their impact after some period of time," she added.
By having an anti-corruption commission pursuing its works, an electoral body doing voter rolls and the system in place, the country will hopefully ensure that the elections are free, fair and voters are not bought, she said.
Stressing the role of a vigilant media in this regard, she said, "Besides informing people of their responsibility, the media also need to inform people what they should expect."
TI Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman accompanied Labelle at the press conference.
On the allegation that democracy and human rights are not ensured during the anti-corruption drives with the state of emergency in effect, Iftekharuzzaman said, "We do not condone any incident of rights violation. But we need to be aware that corruption is a major impediment to democracy and human rights. We have to see the outcome of the emergency at the end of the day."
People across the world opine that the parliament and political parties are most prone to corruption, said Labelle.
"It needs to be ensured that elections have been held in a free and fair manner without votes being bought so that parliament can be truly respected by people and seen as looking after the public good and services people want to have from the government," she added.
Labelle also laid importance on ensuring strong governance of local bodies, which she said need to have "strong integrity" and involve people of the community in their plans.
Transparency and good systems for revenue and budget are of high importance to let people know about all revenues coming to the government whether from oil, gas, mining or tax, she said, adding, "It needs to be ensured that the information is clear, available, transparent and easily accessible to the people."
Welcoming separation of the judiciary from the executive, Labelle said, "Transparency International has been pressing this around the world because if the judiciary is not independent, one great integrity--rights of the people--cannot be protected."
Stressing independence of the Public Service Commission, she said, "It's important to ensure that public servants are appointed on the basis of merit, not on the basis of whom they know."
On the allegation that the government is imposing its reform agenda on the political parties, she said, "The electoral reform needs to provide a framework and procedure that ensures the election at the end of the day is free, fair, is not subject to undue pressure where candidates or political parties buy votes.
"The elections should be such where people are not pressured by anyone and--you know that one person is one vote--where one may not cast his vote many times."
Asked if she thinks the ongoing corruption drives are a setback for the economic growth, she said, "Global experience has been that usually anti-corruption drives don't reduce economic growth; it's rather positive for it." Investors feel more certain about the countries where anti-corruption drives are on, she said, noting that there may be many reasons for slow down in investment.
She pointed out that hike in global price of oil and gas, and use of wheat, corn, canola and sugar for manufacturing fuel may also be the reasons that might have contributed to the slow down. She asked people to consider all the factors.
"But, if anti-corruption drives are found to have contributed to some extent to it, it should be quite temporary," she opined.
On the need for strong monitoring of the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption, Labelle said, "Now make sure that the country that has committed to it live by it."