Building a cleaner image of the administration

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chairman's frank admission that the anti-graft body has its limitations in fighting
corruption and his urge that ministers should also maintain honesty to make the ACC's efforts a success is a welcome message to the nation on the eve of the New Year.
One may also recall the Prime Minister's assertion on more than one occasion that corruption is the number one enemy of the nation. But so far the
success in fighting the curse is nothing enviable to write home about. Even the Berlin-based Transparency International's latest ranking in November last year has shown that Bangladesh, with slight improvement in its rank from 2008's level, is struggling hard to scale the rungs upwards from its present position at 13th from the bottom among 180 nations.
While the prime minister and her top administration deserve plaudits for being quite clean and above board, one cannot make an identical claim for the lower echelon of the administration. If, as the
anti-graft chief has stressed, the different ministers could remain equally clean in their day-to-day dealings, the message would have gone down the line to inspire the lower level officers and staffs to emulate them.
The cleanliness drive among the people at the top hierarchy of the administration may start by way of making public disclosures of their assets and liabilities every year. In a similar vein, the ministers, Members of Parliament (MPs), and others in high places may also make their annual income tax returns public. That would go a long way in creating an image of confidence in society.
As the ACC chief has informed, corruption eats up between 1.5 and 2 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually, it is not hard to imagine what a huge contribution to the economy it would be should the government succeed in initiating the drive for reducing the level of corruption in its respective ministries.
The nation at the moment is facing a number of challenges to its development and growth from poverty, population explosion and devastating implications of climate change all at a time. The success in facing up to these challenges depends on the top political leadership's courage and integrity of
character to lead the nation to the desired end.
It is hoped that the political leadership of the
country would be up to the challenge and for the purpose take a fresh pledge to stand on a cleaner image in the New Year.