Law alone not sufficient to curb pervasive corruption, says CJ

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Chief Justice M Ruhul Amin Saturday opined that law alone is not sufficient to curb the pervasive corruption rooted firmly in every sphere of society and every stage of life and called for a social ostracism against the corrupt alongside legal actions, reports UNB.
"I'm against stringent provision of law for curbing corruption and enforcement thereof. My view is that along with addressing the corrupt person upon due enforcement of law, let there be social abhorrence and disapproval of corruption and private as well as community disassociation of the corrupt."
The chief justice said laws have been enacted providing punishment of corrupt persons. But that wouldn't go a long away in curbing corruption since the application of law is delayed or not at all applied or enforced in a manner to screen the desired one who ought to have been brought onto the dragnet of law.
Inaugurating a seminar on 'Rule of law to establish corruption-free society', he noted that corruption at the moment is a global phenomenon that has appeared like a hydra-headed monster, eroding social values seriously. "In the absence of social values the social framework is bound to collapse."
The inaugural function of the meet, organised by the Monthly Legal Aid, was also addressed by former Attorney General AF Hassan Ariff, Resident Legal Adviser to the USA Embassy Ms Nancy Langston, Charge D' Affaires the Delegation of European Commission Ms Francoise Collet and Ambassador of Japan Masayuki Inoue. Justice Habibur Rahman Khan presented the keynote. The function was presided over by the editor of the monthly Khawja Golam Murshed.
The seminar was conducted by Syed Shahidur Rahman, a sacked judge of the High Court, which evoked sharp criticism among the audience. Shahidur was removed by presidential orders on April 20, 2004 in accordance with the report of the Supreme Judicial Council that had inquired into allegation against him of taking bribe and fixing bail for an accused in a woman-repression case.
Justice Amin mentioned that there is all-out effort and movement around the world to bring corruption down to a tolerable level, because it would not be possible at this moment, or in immediate future, to free society from corruption fully or to cut down corruption to zero level.
"This being the reality it would not be correct to say we are showing tolerance to or acceptance of certain kinds of lapses or corruption."
He, however, said that appropriate steps should have been taken against corruption in proper time. But, "for no justification or reason or for some considerations which ought not have been the consideration anyway in dealing with the matter of corruption, (we) had shown lenience", said the Chief Justice-whose observations are considered voice of conscience of the nation.
Justice Amin said, "I'm constrained to say those, either individuals or institutions, who were required to deal with corruption toughly, for no reason, were soft at times and thus brought us to a situation making difficult or somewhat impossible to tackle corruption and to put society on the right track."
The Chief Justice viewed that soft application of the law of corruption at different levels by the government and the institutions entrusted with or responsible for administration and enforcement of law to some beneficiaries of corruption on some lame excuses is no less responsible for corruption.