Air Commodore Muhammad Zakiul Islam
THE Chief of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has recently observed that while corruption (especially graft) cannot be eliminated altogether, it should be brought to a tolerable (?) level. His remarks have been widely reported in all the national dailies on the 20th of July 2008. Strong official position and personal commitment of the ACC Chief and his present outfit on the question of eradicating and eliminating corruption is known all too well. Yet, while one can agree with the first part of his comment which sounds to be more down- to- earth and gives a touch of realism, what one will find difficult in agreeing to is the position that corruption or graft should be brought down to an 'acceptable' or 'tolerable' level.
As a matter of principle, graft and corruption should have no threshold of acceptance and tolerance. We have to adopt an attitude of 'Zero Tolerance' as far as the graft and corruption is concerned, at least in our thoughts and principles and if not in reality. Arithmetically speaking, paying of Tk.50.00 as graft instead of Tk.100.00 for a particular service will definitely mean some ease and relief to the poor villager, but the most vexing question remains -- should he at all bear this extra, albeit illegal burden !
Perhaps, there is yet another side of the threshold. The story goes like this. One business magnate wanted certain papers from a government office and, as usual, deployed his lackeys. But the officer in question was too honest and upright, and he neither acceded to the illegal request nor did he succumb to the enticement of the agents. When the matter was reported to the businessman who then reportedly remarked: How much doesn't he accept (partake)? After all, everyone has a price - a threshold!
Indeed, personal integrity has to be an invaluable and priceless possession of a public official to face off and beat such onslaught by the ruthless self-seekers who would stop almost at nothing to realise their ends.
Life, in reality, is quite different than an ideal and perfect one though. We live in a very protected area with full-time guards and patrol party to watch and ward off, any unauthorized visitors, hawkers and Tokais (street urchins) who some time attempt at small thievery in the guise of picking and scavenging. Dressed in Khaki, with red barrettes and ankle-boots to instill a sense of fear in the hearts of any intruder, our smart squad of security guards are well trained, well paid and supposedly well motivated. But every once in while, while looking out through the verandah in the early morning, I often catch a very familiar sight -- a single guard either going to, or returning from, his post is seen meeting and negotiating with these desperate hawkers and Tokais, and ultimately an unrestricted entry and movement is granted to the intruders while something is being exchanged through the left hands in quick time. As a conscious and law abiding member of the community, I have made several complaints giving exact time, location and description of the events. Actions were taken, the culprit might have been sacked, but the story repeats itself with another set of Guards and another set of hawkers and Tokais. While one can understand the probable compunction and compulsion behind such a practice, one can hardly justify or condone it. Petty pitfalls of even pettier beings.
At Atlanta Airport, we wanted to check in at the kerb side. Since we were in a group, we wanted to help ourselves with the luggage and looked for larger size trolley. We soon discovered one which was being used by one baggage handler. It was the property of the Airport Authority but the gentlemen who had the current possession of it would not let go of it, while he was extending the service to others at an exchange of some 'tips' or 'baksheesh'. Finally, a small denomination of a greenback settled it all. Low intensity freakishness, perhaps. (Please read till the end).
A gentleman was on transit in London while returning from North America. He went to a Money Changer to exchange the few left over greenbacks into GBP. At the existing exchange rate, he was expecting about GBP 6.00 but alas he was only handed over 50 Pence by a hand from behind the counter and an NCR receipt which showed that GBP 5.50 has been deducted as Commission by the Money Changer. He raised a lot of hue and cry including seeking help from the Police. But to no avail. The whole thing was legal and the process was also irreversible. He couldn't even get his USD back -- he would have to pay commission again! A very big gap in communication which might or might not have been intentional.
Here's a classic story. Some aircraft were returning from abroad after major overhaul and had to land at an international airport for refueling. As per the International Rules, landing fees and other charges are to be paid by any visiting aircraft to the host country. While the helicopters in question landed at around noon time, the local airport officials demanded 'overtime allowance' along with the other charges since they were working extra hours beyond the lunch time. While it was pointed out that Imprest money could not be paid for such overtime allowance and also claims like this one were not made by other airports, the gentlemen agreed to give official voucher in support of and as a proof of payment on printed official forms. Otherwise, the departure and further flight of the aircraft could be delayed including possible additional cost due to extended parking time. Printed Vouchers were raised in multiple copies using carbon papers by the officials of the Socialist Republic and signed and sealed under their authority.
Providence only knows where did the fund, which again had to be in greenback, and the duplicate and triplicate copies of the official receipts finally ended up! Institutionalized delinquency.
A friend of mine told me that at a certain airport in South Asia, the immigration officials have put marking on the adjoining walls of the immigration counter.
Visitors from certain areas are asked to stand against the wall. Everything else remaining the same, if the incoming passengers don't measure up to the height mentioned in the passport, their entry might be denied! A rather strict application of the rules but with ulterior motive.
And it was undoubtedly a suffocating and intolerable scenario when the MPs in the Indian Lokshabha were waving wads and bundles of raw currency in the air to mark their protest during the recent confidence motion.
We are citing these examples neither to glorify corruption and malpractices nor to justify their inevitability. But the very nature of the disease is so epidemical and all -- pervasive that any allowance and tolerance shown to it will only exacerbate the problem. Corruption has also many shapes, sizes, shades, colour and intensity. While a Truth or a Reconciliatory commission might bring in temporary correction, the mission of Anti-Corruption Commission is a full time one, irrespective of which government is in power. And needless to mention that only a policy of Zero Tolerance will help keep the monster under control.
There are then broadly three kinds of people: most are, of course, incorruptible; some are more corrupt and while some are reasonably corrupt who practise it up to a tolerable level.
Let us end this on a happier and positive note. I went to a college in Alabama and stayed there for almost a year. About six months after my return, a cheque for an amount of USD 8.00 reached me at my work place at Chittagong.
It was issued by the Alagasco, the gas company that provided utility to our apartment, and one can imagine what an arduous journey the cheque had to make in reaching me from Montgomery, Alabama to Patenga, Chittagong, halfway round the world. There was a letter accompanying the cheque. It said that the gas company had done a random check on the domestic meters and found that our meter had a fault and there was an over billing of USD 8.00 on my account. So they have refunded the money with a word of apology for the inconvenience.
