Inclusion in list does not mean a person is corrupt: Aziz
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
FE Report
Finance adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam said Monday any person suspected of corruption should not be outrightly labelled as corrupt unless convicted.
"Inclusion of somebody's name in the list of corruption suspects of the Anti-Corruption Commission's (ACC) does not necessarily mean that the particular person is corrupt," he said.
The ACC prepares the list of corruption suspects based on various allegations including anonymous ones, he mentioned while paying a courtesy call on the newly-elected executive members of the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF), led by the ERF President Nazmul Ahsan, at the Secretariat.
Former ERF President Zakaria Kajol, its Vice President Kawsar Rahman, General Secretary Sazzad Alam Khan, Joint Secretary Hamid Sarkar, Finance Secretary S M Jahangir, and executive members Shahnewaz and Mir Mustafizur Rahman were present on the occasion.
sometimes, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) also prepares lists of suspected tax evaders for the sake of realising its revenue, notwithstanding that those persons may not be corrupt.
The finance adviser made such observations when asked to comment how the names of corruption suspect have been included in the recently constituted Better Business Forum by the government.
Responding to another query on whether the government has plans to provide dearness allowances (DA) for its employees to help them cope with the prevailing price escalation of essential items, the adviser said the matter is under active consideration of his government.
Admitting that the government employees, especially the lower income ones, are facing problems due to the price hike of essential commodities, he said the government will consider providing DA in its 2008-09 budget.
He, however, said, "Not only the low income group of people, the government itself is under tremendous pressure due to the soaring prices of commodities including food, fertilisers and petroleum oil in the international market."
About impact of the country's sloth investment trend on employment generation, he said the government has already taken steps including overwhelming of the administration to help enhance the state expenditure, aiming to create employments.
Besides, a process is also underway to help boost investment under the private sector through the Better Business Forum in order to facilitate generation of employments in the long run, Azizul said.
On the implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP), the overall expenditures under the current ADP is not low in real term as the size of the present ADP is larger than that of the last financial year.
About the pending proposals on investment, especially by Tata Group and Asia Energy, he said the government would not take decisions on the matters unless the proposed 'Coal Policy' is finalised.
Responding to a query on whether or not the government has plans to bring about any major policy change in its next budget, he said, "No major reasons have yet developed for such a change."
Like last year's budget, widening of social safety-net programmes, poverty alleviation and rural development and infrastructure sector will get priority in the next budget, he added.
Congratulating the newly elected executive committee of the ERF, he also urged the economic reporters to make 'fair and objective' reports so that the activities of the government - either 'negative' or 'positive' -- are reflected accordingly.
Finance adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam said Monday any person suspected of corruption should not be outrightly labelled as corrupt unless convicted.
"Inclusion of somebody's name in the list of corruption suspects of the Anti-Corruption Commission's (ACC) does not necessarily mean that the particular person is corrupt," he said.
The ACC prepares the list of corruption suspects based on various allegations including anonymous ones, he mentioned while paying a courtesy call on the newly-elected executive members of the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF), led by the ERF President Nazmul Ahsan, at the Secretariat.
Former ERF President Zakaria Kajol, its Vice President Kawsar Rahman, General Secretary Sazzad Alam Khan, Joint Secretary Hamid Sarkar, Finance Secretary S M Jahangir, and executive members Shahnewaz and Mir Mustafizur Rahman were present on the occasion.
sometimes, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) also prepares lists of suspected tax evaders for the sake of realising its revenue, notwithstanding that those persons may not be corrupt.
The finance adviser made such observations when asked to comment how the names of corruption suspect have been included in the recently constituted Better Business Forum by the government.
Responding to another query on whether the government has plans to provide dearness allowances (DA) for its employees to help them cope with the prevailing price escalation of essential items, the adviser said the matter is under active consideration of his government.
Admitting that the government employees, especially the lower income ones, are facing problems due to the price hike of essential commodities, he said the government will consider providing DA in its 2008-09 budget.
He, however, said, "Not only the low income group of people, the government itself is under tremendous pressure due to the soaring prices of commodities including food, fertilisers and petroleum oil in the international market."
About impact of the country's sloth investment trend on employment generation, he said the government has already taken steps including overwhelming of the administration to help enhance the state expenditure, aiming to create employments.
Besides, a process is also underway to help boost investment under the private sector through the Better Business Forum in order to facilitate generation of employments in the long run, Azizul said.
On the implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP), the overall expenditures under the current ADP is not low in real term as the size of the present ADP is larger than that of the last financial year.
About the pending proposals on investment, especially by Tata Group and Asia Energy, he said the government would not take decisions on the matters unless the proposed 'Coal Policy' is finalised.
Responding to a query on whether or not the government has plans to bring about any major policy change in its next budget, he said, "No major reasons have yet developed for such a change."
Like last year's budget, widening of social safety-net programmes, poverty alleviation and rural development and infrastructure sector will get priority in the next budget, he added.
Congratulating the newly elected executive committee of the ERF, he also urged the economic reporters to make 'fair and objective' reports so that the activities of the government - either 'negative' or 'positive' -- are reflected accordingly.