Anti-graft drive and unaddressed troubles of common man
Monday, 1 October 2007
Shamsul Huq Zahid
The word, 'corruption', must be the most frequently used word in gossips, television talk-shows, newspaper reports, proceedings of the courts etc., these days. The issue of corruption would inevitably overtake others in a discussion on the image of Bangladesh. Any outsider visiting Bangladesh at the moment might get an impression that the entire population and the government are obsessed with the problem of corruption.
How can the people avoid an issue that has hurt their interests seriously both at home and abroad? The vice that over the years has gone deep into the every tier of the society, administration and politics has been taking a heavy toll on the economic wellbeing of the people. The level of national development as of today could have been much higher had the incidences of corruption remained within a tolerable limit.
The Berlin-based Transparency International (TI), the global graft watchdog, has been rubbing salts to our wounds putting us at the top of the list of corrupt nations. For five consecutive years, between 2001 and 2005, Bangladesh was labelled as the most corrupt nation. Bangladesh bettered its position last year and was ranked third with a score of 2.0 out of a 10-point corruption perception index (CPI). This year the country has improved its position further to become the 7th most corrupt country. However, its score has maintained the level of the previous year. Prof. Mozaffar Ahmed, chairman off the Bangladesh chapter of the TI, while presenting the TI's report for 2007 said the Bangladesh's score could have declined further had not the positive results achieved between January and July this year been taken into consideration in the CPI.
The ongoing drive against corruption has created a sort of mixed feeling among the population. The people do approve of the government move against corruption suspects but at the same time they are found to be apprehensive about the ultimate outcome of the drive.
There could be justifiable reasons for becoming uncertain about the ultimate results of the drive against graft under the present interim administration.
The interim administration has said in unequivocal terms both at the national and international level that it would hold general election in the country by December next year and handover power an elected government. The entire government machinery would be engaged in election-related activities at least six months ahead of the general election and there would be little scope left for paying attention to other issues, including the anti-graft drive. So, the government would be getting another seven to eight months to clear the Augean stable.
The administration has so far published the lists of 222 corruption suspects that included a good number of high-profile politicians, businessmen, professionals and bureaucrats. Some of the suspects are now in jail and some others have gone into hiding to avoid arrests. The individuals whose names were on the latest list published late last week are yet to receive notices from the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) to file their respective wealth statement within a stipulated date. The Chief Adviser in his last address to the nation over radio and television said that there would be no more lists on corruption suspects after September 30, 2007.
However, Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed while speaking at the dialogue held between the businesses and the government leaders recently in Dhaka said the ACC and other relevant agencies would continue to do their routine activities to punish the corrupt elements.
Given the widespread nature of corruption, taking action against 200 or 300 people would carry no real meaning. The action would neither be symbolic nor wholesale one. It would be seen as a half-hearted move.
However, besides time constraint, the developments in the economic front have emerged as damper on the government's enthusiasm to go whole hog against corrupt elements, particularly the high-profile ones.
The anti-corruption drive and actions against tax evaders have already produced a few unsettling effects on the economy. Businessmen have been complaining that they are feeling shaky because of probing questions frequently asked by banks and other government agencies. The erosion of business confidence has resulted in slower import of essential commodities and consequent rise in the prices of daily necessities and decline in investment.
The current economic slowdown is largely attributed to the government actions against the major stakeholders in the black economy who were operating in the guise of politicians or businessmen. The black money, one may like it or not, has over the years emerged as an important element in the formal economy. Any action on its free flow or its owners is bound leave some unsettling effects on the formal economy.
The people are happy with the actions taken against high profile corruption suspects. But at the same time they are unhappy because of the fact that they still have to grease palms of the officials and employees of different government offices and utility service providers. Rather some officials, reportedly, are demanding more because of the risk factor under emergency rule. The ACC does not have time to deal with these 'petty' officials and employees. But the fact remains that the people have to interact with these petty officials frequently to get things done or their day-to-day problems solved.
The common men do not have deal with high profile politicians, businesses, and bureaucrats. Corruption by these people hurts their interests indirectly. But dishonest officials and employees at the lower and mid levels would trouble them always. The common citizens want some sort of improvement in that situation.
The word, 'corruption', must be the most frequently used word in gossips, television talk-shows, newspaper reports, proceedings of the courts etc., these days. The issue of corruption would inevitably overtake others in a discussion on the image of Bangladesh. Any outsider visiting Bangladesh at the moment might get an impression that the entire population and the government are obsessed with the problem of corruption.
How can the people avoid an issue that has hurt their interests seriously both at home and abroad? The vice that over the years has gone deep into the every tier of the society, administration and politics has been taking a heavy toll on the economic wellbeing of the people. The level of national development as of today could have been much higher had the incidences of corruption remained within a tolerable limit.
The Berlin-based Transparency International (TI), the global graft watchdog, has been rubbing salts to our wounds putting us at the top of the list of corrupt nations. For five consecutive years, between 2001 and 2005, Bangladesh was labelled as the most corrupt nation. Bangladesh bettered its position last year and was ranked third with a score of 2.0 out of a 10-point corruption perception index (CPI). This year the country has improved its position further to become the 7th most corrupt country. However, its score has maintained the level of the previous year. Prof. Mozaffar Ahmed, chairman off the Bangladesh chapter of the TI, while presenting the TI's report for 2007 said the Bangladesh's score could have declined further had not the positive results achieved between January and July this year been taken into consideration in the CPI.
The ongoing drive against corruption has created a sort of mixed feeling among the population. The people do approve of the government move against corruption suspects but at the same time they are found to be apprehensive about the ultimate outcome of the drive.
There could be justifiable reasons for becoming uncertain about the ultimate results of the drive against graft under the present interim administration.
The interim administration has said in unequivocal terms both at the national and international level that it would hold general election in the country by December next year and handover power an elected government. The entire government machinery would be engaged in election-related activities at least six months ahead of the general election and there would be little scope left for paying attention to other issues, including the anti-graft drive. So, the government would be getting another seven to eight months to clear the Augean stable.
The administration has so far published the lists of 222 corruption suspects that included a good number of high-profile politicians, businessmen, professionals and bureaucrats. Some of the suspects are now in jail and some others have gone into hiding to avoid arrests. The individuals whose names were on the latest list published late last week are yet to receive notices from the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) to file their respective wealth statement within a stipulated date. The Chief Adviser in his last address to the nation over radio and television said that there would be no more lists on corruption suspects after September 30, 2007.
However, Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed while speaking at the dialogue held between the businesses and the government leaders recently in Dhaka said the ACC and other relevant agencies would continue to do their routine activities to punish the corrupt elements.
Given the widespread nature of corruption, taking action against 200 or 300 people would carry no real meaning. The action would neither be symbolic nor wholesale one. It would be seen as a half-hearted move.
However, besides time constraint, the developments in the economic front have emerged as damper on the government's enthusiasm to go whole hog against corrupt elements, particularly the high-profile ones.
The anti-corruption drive and actions against tax evaders have already produced a few unsettling effects on the economy. Businessmen have been complaining that they are feeling shaky because of probing questions frequently asked by banks and other government agencies. The erosion of business confidence has resulted in slower import of essential commodities and consequent rise in the prices of daily necessities and decline in investment.
The current economic slowdown is largely attributed to the government actions against the major stakeholders in the black economy who were operating in the guise of politicians or businessmen. The black money, one may like it or not, has over the years emerged as an important element in the formal economy. Any action on its free flow or its owners is bound leave some unsettling effects on the formal economy.
The people are happy with the actions taken against high profile corruption suspects. But at the same time they are unhappy because of the fact that they still have to grease palms of the officials and employees of different government offices and utility service providers. Rather some officials, reportedly, are demanding more because of the risk factor under emergency rule. The ACC does not have time to deal with these 'petty' officials and employees. But the fact remains that the people have to interact with these petty officials frequently to get things done or their day-to-day problems solved.
The common men do not have deal with high profile politicians, businesses, and bureaucrats. Corruption by these people hurts their interests indirectly. But dishonest officials and employees at the lower and mid levels would trouble them always. The common citizens want some sort of improvement in that situation.