UNB, Dhaka :
Noted jurist Dr Kamal Hossain on Saturday urged all the country’s people to break their silence and speak up against corruption and capital flight.
“We should not keep mum… Let’s start raising voice and be organised against corruption, looting of assets and capital flight. Otherwise our bright future will be impeded,” he said.
Dr Kamal made the remark while addressing the launching ceremony of the book ‘Legal and Illegal Corruption’ authored by MS Siddiqui, a legal economist, at the auditorium of the Supreme Court Bar Association in the city.
“We want restoration of meaningful and effective democracy which would be determined by the people,” Dr Kamal said, adding that national unity is essential to overcome the present crisis.
“Let us speak out judiciously to make the country’s independence meaningful. We’re not asking to speak up against the government, rather for the interests of 16 crore citizens and the country’s future,” he added.
The noted jurist said an ill-attempt is now on to make noted persons controversial with a view to divide the nation. About the capital flight he said, “I would like to ask 16 crore people whether they are worried over the outflow of huge money from the country. We should take legal steps against those who are behind this capital flight. There should be no difference in views here.”
Noting that corruption has very high cost in the country, he asked think-tank Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) to conduct a study to estimate costs caused by corruption in the country.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) chairperson Advocate Sultana Kamal said abuse of power is also a form of corruption, citing the example of the recent Banani rape incident. “People with money and power easily did it.”
Praising the new book, she said it addressed both abuse of power alongside financial corruption.
Talking about corruption, CPD chairperson Prof Rehman Sobhan said it has become a cancer on society.
He said, over 75 percent of members of parliament declared business as their primary occupation in the last three or four national elections. The remaining 25 percent of MPs may be involved in elements of business alongside their primary occupations, he added.
“Mastans (hooligans) are now businessmen. They are not mastans (hooligans) rather they are competing for tender (winning bid),” Prof Sobhan said.
Comptroller and Auditor General Masud Ahmed said many people in the society now think that it is impossible to lead affluent lives without being corrupt.
He said, Bangladeshi society has a culture of hiding corruption of bureaucrats. “Why has it happened? Because of not practising democracy… it is a win-win situation for rulers and bureaucrats here,” he said.
Masud suggested that tax evasion should be penalized more harshly so that anyone would think twice before dodging tax.
Member (GED) of the Planning Commission Prof Shamsul Alam and Law Professor at Dhaka University Redwanul Haque, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
Noted jurist Dr Kamal Hossain on Saturday urged all the country’s people to break their silence and speak up against corruption and capital flight.
“We should not keep mum… Let’s start raising voice and be organised against corruption, looting of assets and capital flight. Otherwise our bright future will be impeded,” he said.
Dr Kamal made the remark while addressing the launching ceremony of the book ‘Legal and Illegal Corruption’ authored by MS Siddiqui, a legal economist, at the auditorium of the Supreme Court Bar Association in the city.
“We want restoration of meaningful and effective democracy which would be determined by the people,” Dr Kamal said, adding that national unity is essential to overcome the present crisis.
“Let us speak out judiciously to make the country’s independence meaningful. We’re not asking to speak up against the government, rather for the interests of 16 crore citizens and the country’s future,” he added.
The noted jurist said an ill-attempt is now on to make noted persons controversial with a view to divide the nation. About the capital flight he said, “I would like to ask 16 crore people whether they are worried over the outflow of huge money from the country. We should take legal steps against those who are behind this capital flight. There should be no difference in views here.”
Noting that corruption has very high cost in the country, he asked think-tank Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) to conduct a study to estimate costs caused by corruption in the country.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) chairperson Advocate Sultana Kamal said abuse of power is also a form of corruption, citing the example of the recent Banani rape incident. “People with money and power easily did it.”
Praising the new book, she said it addressed both abuse of power alongside financial corruption.
Talking about corruption, CPD chairperson Prof Rehman Sobhan said it has become a cancer on society.
He said, over 75 percent of members of parliament declared business as their primary occupation in the last three or four national elections. The remaining 25 percent of MPs may be involved in elements of business alongside their primary occupations, he added.
“Mastans (hooligans) are now businessmen. They are not mastans (hooligans) rather they are competing for tender (winning bid),” Prof Sobhan said.
Comptroller and Auditor General Masud Ahmed said many people in the society now think that it is impossible to lead affluent lives without being corrupt.
He said, Bangladeshi society has a culture of hiding corruption of bureaucrats. “Why has it happened? Because of not practising democracy… it is a win-win situation for rulers and bureaucrats here,” he said.
Masud suggested that tax evasion should be penalized more harshly so that anyone would think twice before dodging tax.
Member (GED) of the Planning Commission Prof Shamsul Alam and Law Professor at Dhaka University Redwanul Haque, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
