An Ordinary Citizen

When a political system is corrupt, not only the political leaders are benefited, the benefits may go to the political cadres of all strata of the parties, especially the party in power.

The party leaders attain the higher post in the government, assume greater responsibility, and enjoy more  privileges. The party cadres at different level also share the privileges. They get the contracts; get the tenders, selected for employment, preferred for admission, promotion, training at home and abroad.

Beaucracy is also benefited by corruption. They also took the advantages of corruption in the political system. They  take undue promotion, unhealthy privileges and participate in underhand negotiations. The government employs to the lowest level take the advantage of the system.

The businessmen also take the privilege of the  corrupt system. They procure orders in illegal ways, bypass taxes, compromise with the quality of goods and of works, they patronize the parties and take advantage in exchange. They themselves enter into politics, purchase the seats and purchase the voters.

The media also compromise and they don’t maintain the neutrality and they speak in the light of their political affiliation.

 The Judiciary is also afflicted. The appointment is compromised. The promotion is manipulated. They lost their judgment and they give verdict in favour of their political interest.

 The universities become sit of politics rather the seat of academic exercise. The teachers are more interested in discussing politics than principles. Getting good score in exams is more a matter of political connection than a matter of merit. The recruitment in faculty is also dictated by political menuaver than academic excellence.

 It seems that all are beneficiaries of a corrupt system of politics except the common people.

An ordinary citizen

Formation of Truth Commission is underway. A Special Committee has been formed to formulate the necessary rules and regulation of the Truth Commission. Initially it was thought only for the businessmen as economy is being affected because of the arrest of businessmen and remain behind the bar for long. As an alternative they now will confess the guilt and refund the money they illegally acquired.

Initial proposal for the privilege only for the businessmen was criticized from different fronts. Question arises why the politician and others will not get the opportunity. Considering the reaction from the public and experts, Government has given a second thought to the idea and is making necessary adjustment.

Barrister Moinul Hossain, Law Adviser said that the committee is working on accommodating the politicians and for that it is taking a little more time. The politicians if they feel guilty of corruption they will confess and they will be barred from politics and they may escape jail.We guess that the politicians will also return their money illegally earned.

Still questions remain unanswered. What will happen to the beau crates and professionals? I think the law should be extended to cover the beau crates and professionals. They also should be allowed to confess the guilt, return the money and lose their job.

By extending the scope of Truth Commission, the Government would be able to clean the business, politics, beau cracy and professional arena of Bangladesh.

 An ordinary citizen

Few days back Law Adviser Barrister Moinul Hussain disclosed that Government is thinking of forming Truth Commission for Businessmen as the economy of the country is affected because of the arrest of the businessmen, the business community is not gaining confidence and the business houses are in difficulty in carrying out their work because of the absence of their bosses.

The concept of Truth Commission is not new for Bangladesh. The Truth Commission or like were formed in many countries for confession of the crimes and reconciliation such as in South Africa etc.

But immediately after the disclosure of the idea, criticism from different quarters poured in for considering a special quarter separately. Many raise the question why the businessmen will be considered separately? They are equally at fault for rampant corruption that is prevailing  in our country for years. As someone says the politicians, beau crates and the businessmen form the unholy alliance to make illegal money in our country.

Many argue that if there is any Truth Commission it should be for all. In the constitution , there is no provision for any section to be considered separately. All are same to the eyes of the law.

Many argued that the Government unnecessarily magnifying the role of arrested businessmen. The release of the businessmen will have no impact on the economy or the price of the essentials rather it may encourage more corruption by the businessmen in future.

The ordinary citizen feels that if the Government thinks of forming Truth Commission, it should form it for all. All section of corrupts whether politicians, businessmen, beau crates or professionals should be allowed to get the opportunity to confess, surrendered their wealth earned illegally , quit politics (politicians) or lose their jobs (beau crates & professionals). It may decrease the legal and physical load of the Government and save the Government from lengthy legal complexity. It will also allow the Government to focus attention to other important issues.

But before coming to a decision, the Government must rethink that privileges to the corrupts do not jeopardize its own declared objective of forming a new society and giving a  solid foundation for democracy in Bangladesh.

An ordinary citizen. 

A report by Emily Wax is published in Washington Post on 3^rd October, 2007 saying that a quiet revolution is undergoing in Bangladesh against corruption.

The report said that corruption was ingrained in social fabric that even the Bureau of Anti-corruption accepted a bribe and Bangladesh persistently ranked top most corrupt country in the world.

The paper continued, ‘Now, two former Prime Ministers, rival politicians who have dominated the countries politics for 16 years are behind the bar. They are awaiting trials for siphoning off millions of dollars from the Government. Also incarcerated on graft, tax evasion and corruption charges are 170 members of the ruling elite, along with an estimated 15000 political underdogs, local government officials and businessmen’.

It said that they have all alleged to have stolen 150 million people who have long languished in abject poverty.

The paper added that the arrests this year are unprecedented for South Asia Region, a reputation for widespread impunity when it comes to thievery in Government corruption. ‘It is completely unthinkable in SA that a country’s demigods are now in jail’ the paper quoted Iftekher Jaman, Executive Director of Transparency International, Bangladesh chapter, ‘For most people what matters is daily life and corruption is so deep rooted here… that there has to be a painful transition. But in the long terms, it has to happen’.

The report observed that the transition , from a system in which corruption rules, to one, in which institutions do, has indeed been difficult. The interim government says these are normal growing pains, and the only way to change the system.

‘Even a little corruption is bad because it sets a tone that anything goes.’ said the Hasan Masud Chowdhury, Chairman of AntiCorruption Commission (ACC) which has replaced now defunct Bureau of AntiCorruption; “Corruption is tied to poverty. Africa has its Big Men, with their sycophants who benefited from their power. Well, Bangladesh has its Big Women and their blind followers. And why should we all be too afraid to take back what our citizens lost? And why should we all be too afraid to take back what our citizen lost?’

The paper obversed that some Bangladeshis say they are optimistic but cautiously so. The ordinary citizen is also of the same opinion.

‘What is happening here is nothing short of a quiet revolution without violence,’ the paper quoted Barrister Moinul Hussain, Care Taker Government key law and justice official.

An ordinary citizen

Ref: Washington Post 3/10/07, Prothom Alo 4/10/07