Some recent statements of Workers’ Party of Bangladesh Chairman Rashed Khan Menon have drawn attention of the concerned circles when he said that around Tk 9 lakh crore has been siphoned off from the country in the last 10 years during the tenure of Awami League government. “Corruption is now everywhere. The ongoing anti-corruption drives have stunned general people, but the corruption must be uprooted…. The persons who are involved in laundering about Tk 9 lakh crore to different foreign countries in the last 10 years should be brought to book. Their land and other properties should be forfeited,” he said. However, Menon laid emphasis on changing the ‘system’ to stop corruption forever.
It is not the first time. He earlier had said that it’s not possible to curb widespread corruption by conducting cleansing operation only for a few days. Menon, also a former minister of Awami League-led government, made this remark on an occasion marking his party’s council at Ashulia on Friday. “Stories of crore of taka linked with casinos and sporting clubs are publishing in the newspapers for the last few days. It seems, there is a sudden storm against corruption. But it wouldn’t possible to stop corruption by conducting temporary anti-corruption drives for the time being,” Menon said, and added: “It needs a non-stop fight to stop corruption. And at the same time, the system which is liable for corruption should be altered …… We’ll have to be courageous. We must say we won’t accept the corrupt persons anymore.”
It’s quite surprising that Mr Menon is now vocal against widespread corruption and demanding legal action against the corrupt ones. May we humbly ask him why he didn’t raise any objection when money was going out from the country? He even didn’t resign from Cabinet protesting the corruption. Now he is protesting when corruption charge has been raised against him.
Mr Menon is a veteran political leader of the country and obviously he has many contributions for the country. But some of his very personal activities have made him controversial in the recent days. Interestingly, Menon, also chairman of the governing body of Young Men’s Club, now has been facing harsh criticism from different circles for his alleged involvement in running a casino.
He along with State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali and two others were served with a legal notice on September 25 for their involvement with or remarks in favour of casinos in the country. The legal notice asked them to explain why legal action should not be taken against them in this regard. The two other respondents are Whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury and Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Mohibul Haque. Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali Akond also served a notice on the Home Secretary seeking necessary measures against those involved in casino business across the country.
We can cite another example here about his alleged misdeed in Viqarunnisa Noon School and College when he was President of the special committee of the institution. At that time, admission business was rife allegedly with his direct patronisation. Several hundred students had got admitted there with the recommendation of Mr Menon.
Mr Menon’s recent stance against corruption is to be appreciated but it was not befitting for him to not protesting for so long. It was needed some courage to confirm government patronised corruption. Yet he had remained not only silent but served the government till he was dropped.
It is the weakness of some in politics that corruption has become a business of dangerous kind. The casino business of corruption has continued as terrorism for extortion of money. There are evidences found to show torture placed in the clubs. They were using guns and other weapons to pursue their crimes for the benefit of the politics of terror.
When the former minister confirms outright looting and extensive money laundering by the people enjoying protection of the government it does not depend on him who will be punished by whom. It is most unrealistic to make it possible for the government to go against its own power base of corruption and punish its own men.
But the sycophants in television talks still believe in that there is a scope for them joining the government to participate in the easy game of making money and holding position in the government. Some people never give up hope for making easy money.
We have to see who are fighting whose corruption.
