Confusion arises about quick dispensation of justice in graft cases: Prof Mozaffar

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Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Chairman Prof Mozaffar Ahmed said Saturday confusion had been created among people about quick dispensation of justice in corruption cases under the existing laws due to legal complexities involved in the anti-graft process, reports UNB.
He, however, said that during the anti-corruption drive in last one year it had been established that none was above law.
"The anti-corruption drive has established that none is above law. But, as legal intricacy has surfaced in the anti-corruption process, confusion has been created whether one would be punished quickly under the concerned law," the TIB chairman told reporters at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city.
Earlier, he inaugurated the annual conference of 'Sachetan Nagorik Committee' (committee of concerned citizens). Nearly 500 of its members participated in the conference. TIB trustee board secretary general and Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam spoke at the conference on 'Citizen's Role in Anti-corruption Movement'.
Asked about the legal complexities, the TIB chairman said government institutions like taskforce, NBR, police and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) were engaged in the anti-graft drive. But on the one hand there was lack of coordination among the various agencies and on the other over enthusiasm among some people made things complex.
Mahfuz Anam said: "Our failure is that we could not free politics from corruption. An elected government will be the only acceptable government if we want to see Bangladesh as an acceptable democratic state."
"Those who will come (to power) will have to be entirely free from corruption. If politicians themselves are not personally free from corruption, Bangladesh will not be a democratic country," he said, adding that change in institutions and mentality was required for this, else the leadership would not be free from corruption.
Anam further said there was a trend in the country that persons who committed corruption got elected. This tradition must be demolished. "We've to create an overall environment so everyone knows that the corrupt won't get vote, won't get elected," he added.
TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman and convener of Savar Sacheton Nagorik Committee (Sanak) Zainal Abedin Khan also spoke at the function.
Formed by the TIB, Sanak is a network of committees of concerned citizens aimed at creating a social movement against corruption. The two-day conference has been organised jointly by Sanak and Youth Engagement and Support (YES), another TIB initiative to implement countrywide youth activities against corruption.