Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has called for mandatory annual disclosure of income, expenditure and asset statements by members of parliament and all public office holders to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.
It also urged the formulation and adoption of an integrated national anti-corruption strategy.
The anti-corruption strategy should be aligned with the BNP's 31-point reform outline for state restructuring, the election manifesto, the July Charter and the recommendations of the Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission, it added.
In a statement on Wednesday, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman welcomed the ruling party MPs' decision not to accept duty-free car and government plot privileges, describing it as a long-awaited and encouraging step.
He said the July uprising and the 13th National Parliamentary Election reflected a public aspiration for a welfare-oriented, accountable and corruption-free Bangladesh.
"While the newly elected alliance, backed by an overwhelming public mandate, has made wide-ranging political, economic and socio-cultural commitments, an indispensable precondition for their effective implementation is the prevention of corruption," he said.
Without effective anti-corruption measures, even well-intentioned initiatives at the highest levels of government and elected representation would fail to deliver tangible benefits to citizens, he warned.
Development projects, public procurement and other government activities remain vulnerable to abuses of power, conflicts of interest, partisan favouritism, extortion, land grabbing, politicisation of institutions, bribery, tax evasion and money laundering, he added.
Referring to Article 74 of the July Charter, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said that within three months of assuming office, all elected representatives must publicly disclose on official websites the income, expenditure and asset statements of themselves and their family members, with mandatory annual updates.
He suggested extending this requirement to all public servants whose salaries and benefits are borne by the state.
Describing the decision to forgo duty-free car and plot privileges as consistent with the anti-discrimination spirit of the July mass uprising, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the move had raised public expectations that the new government would take effective steps to curb corruption and strengthen accountability in state affairs.
TIB further called for constitutional amendments to prevent abuse of constitutional and legal powers.
He also said that the national anti-corruption strategy should clearly define the responsibilities and meaningful participation of the ruling alliance and opposition parties, as well as state and non-state institutions, to ensure broader citizen engagement in anti-corruption efforts.
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