The interim government, after arresting some top politicians on charge of corruption, is now going to deal with the corrupt bureaucrats. This will be considered a follow-up move. Reportedly, members of the taskforces are collecting evidence of corruption from various departments on the basis of information extracted from the former ministers and key functionaries of two main political parties who were arrested on corruption charges.
It is reported that for understandable reasons, this follow-up move has jolted some sections of senior bureaucrats, particularly after the arrest of the chief conservator of forests, Osman Ghani. All concerned will support the follow-up anti-corruption drive against 'corrupt' bureaucrats. Politicians alone cannot have committed high-profile financial corruption without the connivance of some bureaucrats. Such public servants should not remain outside the dragnet. There have already been arrests of a few of them as well.
But bureaucrats or top civil servants should be held only with specific evidences. The cases of corruption against such personnel in the bureaucratic set-up should properly be investigated, before the process of action starts within the ambit of law and the process thereof has to be transparent.
Here it is important that no panic is unnecessarily created. The entire bureaucracy cannot be held responsible for corruption. Moreover, the extent and scale of collaboration of bureaucrats with politicians in power are matters of consequence for consideration here. Corruption of diverse nature has been in practice in the country for long. It is not possible to chase every corrupt individual who might have indulged in such practices for long many years because of a flawed system of accountability. Combating corruption involves a process. Hence, more emphasis should be placed on reforming the system that has bred corruption.
With a transparent and accountable system at work, the scope for corruption in the future will be minimised. If the caretaker government can put in place such a system, it will be making the best of contribution to the success of efforts for curbing corruption. It should be forward-looking in its action for dealing with the menace of corruption. Dabbling in things or matters connected with corruption in the distant past may not serve much useful purpose in a situation where corruption ruled the roost for long many years, dating back to the early seventies. It is wiser on the part of the government to look forward, not backward, in all matters. It will not be realistic to expect from the caretaker government to give each and every citizen of this country a clean, clearance certificate.
Mohammad Ali
Mirpur, Dhaka
Clean certificates for all is an impossible task
FE Team | Published: June 08, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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