Govt should immediately form truth commission: FBCCI
Sunday, 7 October 2007
FE Report
The government should immediately expedite the formation of the truth commission with a view to releasing businessmen from jail and dispel panic among them.
President of the Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Mir Nasir Hossain told this to the reporters Saturday in the city.
He was addressing at a press conference at the FBCCI conference room, organised on the occasion of second Dhaka International Mobile Fair.
"The sooner the truth commission is formed, the better will be the outcome," Mir Nasir said.
"I think the formation of the commission will help stop criminalisation of politics," he said, adding, " We want relief from such gross corrupt practices in the country".
The government is mulling to form a truth commission to investigate the crimes in which the country's businessmen were directly or indirectly involved.
The FBCCI president said that a number of the country's businessmen had been corrupt while they were running their business mainly because of the situation prevailing in the country.
"The country's situation forced them to be corrupt and so they should be treated differently to survive the current crackdown on corruption and to save their business organisations," he added.
He said a nexus formed by the bureaucrats, political leaders and businessmen were responsible for many corrupt practices, leading to 'criminalisation of politics'.
He also said a differential treatment for the businessmen is necessary for the betterment of the economy.
"We want a transparent and accountable system, which will help curb corruptions by the businessmen," the FBCCI president said.
Mir Nasir said that businessmen should be accountable once they get money beyond their proper sources.
The government might penalise them for their (businessmen) money earned through the corrupt means and they should be rehabilitated socially, the FBCCI president said.
"The government might take back money from businessmen earned by illegal means," he added.
"Such rehabilitation will ensure to run their mills and factories and it will help run smoothly their business organisations," he added.
The president of the FBCCI said this has also a human consideration as shutdown of factories or stagnant position of their business houses will cause retrenchment of hundreds of the workers working at the factories.
Mir Nasir said that the government should meet with all stakeholders while forming the commission.
He also said that the ongoing crackdown on the corrupt businessmen should be continued for restoring transparency in the society.
While responding a volley of questions on the issue, Mr. Nasir said the formation of the commission is still at the conceptual stage.
He also said, "I think all relevant matters including what measures are to be taken in case of crimes committed for the second time by the businessmen should be sorted out."
Such a commission is expected to submit reports on the crimes commission by the businessmen with recommendations after formation.
Such commissions were also found in different countries including South Africa (1995), Nepal (1990), Germany (1994), Sri Lanka (1994) and Sierra Leone (2002). Such commissions in those countries were assigned to investigate violations of gross human rights including abduction, killing and torture and deal with the same for the purpose of strengthening a reconciliation process.
The government should immediately expedite the formation of the truth commission with a view to releasing businessmen from jail and dispel panic among them.
President of the Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Mir Nasir Hossain told this to the reporters Saturday in the city.
He was addressing at a press conference at the FBCCI conference room, organised on the occasion of second Dhaka International Mobile Fair.
"The sooner the truth commission is formed, the better will be the outcome," Mir Nasir said.
"I think the formation of the commission will help stop criminalisation of politics," he said, adding, " We want relief from such gross corrupt practices in the country".
The government is mulling to form a truth commission to investigate the crimes in which the country's businessmen were directly or indirectly involved.
The FBCCI president said that a number of the country's businessmen had been corrupt while they were running their business mainly because of the situation prevailing in the country.
"The country's situation forced them to be corrupt and so they should be treated differently to survive the current crackdown on corruption and to save their business organisations," he added.
He said a nexus formed by the bureaucrats, political leaders and businessmen were responsible for many corrupt practices, leading to 'criminalisation of politics'.
He also said a differential treatment for the businessmen is necessary for the betterment of the economy.
"We want a transparent and accountable system, which will help curb corruptions by the businessmen," the FBCCI president said.
Mir Nasir said that businessmen should be accountable once they get money beyond their proper sources.
The government might penalise them for their (businessmen) money earned through the corrupt means and they should be rehabilitated socially, the FBCCI president said.
"The government might take back money from businessmen earned by illegal means," he added.
"Such rehabilitation will ensure to run their mills and factories and it will help run smoothly their business organisations," he added.
The president of the FBCCI said this has also a human consideration as shutdown of factories or stagnant position of their business houses will cause retrenchment of hundreds of the workers working at the factories.
Mir Nasir said that the government should meet with all stakeholders while forming the commission.
He also said that the ongoing crackdown on the corrupt businessmen should be continued for restoring transparency in the society.
While responding a volley of questions on the issue, Mr. Nasir said the formation of the commission is still at the conceptual stage.
He also said, "I think all relevant matters including what measures are to be taken in case of crimes committed for the second time by the businessmen should be sorted out."
Such a commission is expected to submit reports on the crimes commission by the businessmen with recommendations after formation.
Such commissions were also found in different countries including South Africa (1995), Nepal (1990), Germany (1994), Sri Lanka (1994) and Sierra Leone (2002). Such commissions in those countries were assigned to investigate violations of gross human rights including abduction, killing and torture and deal with the same for the purpose of strengthening a reconciliation process.