Politics, business behind graft

Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Ghulam Rahman yesterday said the nexus between politics and business is a major factor behind corruption at the upper class of the society.
About corruption in the lower tier of the society, he said it is being encouraged due to the link between politicians and local goons.
The ACC chief made the remarks at a roundtable on Corruption Free Bangladesh, Present Reality and Citizens' Concern organised by Shushashoner Janney Nagorik (Shujan), a platform for civil society members, at Cirdap auditorium in the capital yesterday.
It is time that the country's politics should observe a change in its trend, he noted.
Politicians and political parties have to reduce their dependency on businessmen and industrialists, as they are the ones who fund the parties to run all the political activities. That public funds can be raised where general people will have more involvement in different activities of the party of their choice, he maintained.
The ACC chairman said the duty of lawmakers in the parliament is to formulate laws, but they also get involved in activities which will help them get votes in the next election.
"This practice should be changed," he said suggesting proportional representation system for the parliamentary election.
Ghulam Rahman stressed the need for strengthening the local government bodies, saying that strong local governments can stamp out corruption in the society.
"The politicians only express the political will to strengthen the local government bodies but they don't intend to make those effective," he said.
He suggested making the ACC more effective, formulating effective and appropriate laws, reducing the lengthy judicial system, reforming the administrative system and procedures to prevent corruption in the country.
He said, to root out corruption, a social movement against corruption is to be taken.
The ACC chairman also said students of all levels are to be mobilised in the anti-corruption movement.
Shujan President Prof Muzaffer Ahmad said reformation of political process, decentralisation of power, and the empowerment of the local government bodies are paramount to build a country free from corruption.
He demanded that the prime minister, leader of the opposition, chief justice, lawmakers, and those who hold the constitutional posts publish their wealth accounts in newspapers.
Transparency International Bangladesh Chairman M Hafizuddin Khan alleged the ACC is not getting any cooperation from the government, instead a few measures have been taken to make it ineffective.
“We want that the commission play an effective role, and, to make it more effective, the chairman and members of the commission should be given constitutional posts," he said.
Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder said, apart from political will, a proper legal structure, active institutions and social awareness are necessary to curb corruption.
Columnist Syed Abul Maksud moderated the roundtable. ASM Shahjahan and Inam Ahmed Chowdhury were present.