Indulgence towards businessmen can never boost economy: BBC Sanglap panelists

FE Team | Published: October 07, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Panelists at BBC Sanglap have observed that indulgence towards businessmen can never boost economy.
They made the observation while exchanging views on the government proposed Truth Commission in the city Saturday, reports UNB.
The discussants said the government should not form any commission to exempt "corrupt" businessmen from the purview of existing laws.
Law Adviser Mainul Hosein said Wednesday that the government was planning to change the trial procedure for corrupt businessmen by setting up a Truth Commission to boost business activities.
Former Speaker and Awami League leader Advocate Abdul Hamid, Jatiya Party acting Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, expelled BNP joint secretary general Ashraf Hossain and Professor of the Sociology Department of Dhaka University Sadequa Halim were on the panel.
The discussants said this would not be wise to offer special facilities for a particular group in handling a serious issue like corruption.
"The country's economy cannot be boosted by being tolerant to corruption. All corrupts should be evaluated on the same scale," Anisul Islam Mahmud told the Sanglap.
He disagreed with the government's observation of maintaining an uninterrupted flow of businesses by changing the trial procedure for corrupt businessmen.
"Most of those that are arrested during the government's anti-corruption drive are not involved in commodity trade. So, I don't think that businessmen's arrest is the main reason behind the price hike of essentials," Mahmud mentioned.
About the Truth Commission, Abdul Hamid questioned "Why should only the politicians be punished?"
"If the government forms any Truth Commission to curb corruption, then it will have to be applicable to all. The government cannot offer special facility to a particular group," he added.
Ashraf Hossain said all the corrupt people must be tried under existing laws that already brought many corrupt politicians to justice.
"Government should not differentiate between corrupt businessmen and corrupt politicians. The existing laws must be implemented properly," he observed.
Sadequa Halim posed a question who should set up such a national body like Truth Commission, a caretaker government or an elected government?
A member of the audience wanted to know whether FBCCI was "blackmailing" the caretaker government to form the Truth Commission.
The panelists declined to comment as the modality of the proposed Truth Commission is yet to be framed.
When asked why reformist politicians did not demand reforms of their parties when they had been in the power, Ashraf Hossain did not give a straight answer.
However, he blamed the past military rulers for making democracy fail.
"We have failed to get the fruits of democracy as democratic dispensation was disrupted by repeated military take overs."
Besides, he said, military regimes also came in the name of civil government.
About current style of anti-corruption drive, Abdul Hamid suggested publication of a white paper on the wealth of lawmakers of all the seven parliaments.
"I want to say one thing strongly that all politicians are not corrupt. I am for publishing a white paper on all the lawmakers' wealth so the whole picture emerges before the public," he said.
Asked whether reform activities come to a standstill, Ashraf Hossain said as politics had not yet freed fully, they could not contact their party councillors across the country.
"Our reform activities didn't come to a standstill. It is delayed as we are waiting for complete lifting of ban on politics," he said.