Disclosure of wealth statements

The government, according to the announcement by Finance Minister AMA Muhith as was earlier reportedly in the media, is to send letters this week to ministers, state ministers and advisers to submit statements on their wealth. An initiative will also be taken, according to the same media reports quoting the finance minister, through the Speaker of the Jatiya Sangshad (JS) and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, to request the members of parliament (MPs) and the judges of the High Court and the Appellate Divisions to also submit their wealth statements. The move to have such statements will be in keeping with a pledge made by the Awami League (AL) in its election manifesto in 2008. Apparently, this initiative seems like a good one by the government. But careful observers will also want to know why it took so long for the government to go for it when this requirement was made known in the first meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers after the election in 2009. Why more then two years was taken to implement a prominent commitment in the election manifesto of the ruling party? Does the initiative only reflect a slap-dash effort to impress the gullible people that the ruling party is serious about the integrity of its stalwarts? Whatever the intention, the real merit of it involves not only receiving wealth statements in prescribed forms and ending the matter there. It would be of no use if the statements are mechanically received to be shelved away and not acted upon. Once these statements are submitted, the same should be impartially and honestly allowed to be scrutinized by the government's various agencies for the purpose. If any discrepancy is found between the statements and the reality of the wealth of some of those who submitted them, then due measures should be taken against them. There must be enough resolve from the highest level of the government to go all the way after receiving the statements. Otherwise, the whole exercise will be seen as nothing but a stunt by people sooner rather than later. A primary requirement would also be to make the contents of the statements public. It is important that all governments should seek to improve their credentials with the people by taking actions to curb corruption. For that matter, the stock-taking of the wealth of ministers and others should be taken on a regular and periodic basis. Afzal Khan Green Road, Dhaka.