Hateful hattrick

When in 2001 Bangladesh ranked atop the TI corruption list for the first time, many said it was nothing but an international game to oust and keep Awami League away from power. Such belief grew because the report was published at such a time when Awami League was getting ready to quit power finishing its five-year tenure.

In their campaign for the 8th parliament election the four-party alliance as well as all anti-Awami forces used that negative epithet, although that was a national shame, as a sword to cut Awami League's votes to their favour. Really that national black spot was a curse for Awami League but blessing for four-party alliance! Awami League said that it was nothing but a conspiracy against them. Even they blamed TI men working in Bangladesh. They tried to established that those who prepared that report were anti-Awami people.

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BNP chairperson assured that if her alliance came to power they would remove the black spot from the lot of the country. Many voters were convinced. They thought that it was Awami League which brought bad name for Bangladesh and it must be BNP which would clean the blemish.

People hoped that BNP would try its best to rein in the mad horse of corruption. BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in her first speech to the nation as newly sworn in Prime Minister declared a war against corruption. She said her government should erase the black spot from the forehead of the country.

People were anxiously waiting to watch what effective steps the government would take to remove the blame of massive corruption. But what the people saw? They saw the government file case against Saber Hossain Chowdhury bringing allegation of plate stealing from a ferry. The government filed another case against Rear Admiral Jamaluddin Ahmed bringing allegation against him of stealing a watch.

Of course corruption cases were filed against Sheikh Hasina and some ex-ministers of her cabinet. But what was its motto? was it to really prove 'crime' of Sheikh Hasina or others? 'No', the cases were filed to harass them. Days passed. Then came the time of another TI Report. The Report was published and Bangladesh was again on the top of the corruption list. It was time for Awami League to clap and laugh, and shameful for the ruling alliance. BNP shown excuse that Bangladesh was on top of the corruption list not due to present government's activities. But due to the evil deeds of previous Awami League government!

At last on the 7th of October this year Transparency International disclosed third report. What a wonderful sustainability! Bangladesh is again atop the list. What excuse the government will give now? Will they blame Awami League for this again? Probably. Already they have tried to say that the layer of corruption had reached so deep that it would take more time to be removed from the society.

Very interesting excuse indeed! But we really can't understand how the government will free the country of corruption patronising its sources. Has the government taken any step to remove corruption? We are yet to see any. We didn't find any influential and powerful but believably corrupt man to be sacked. All are in their own position but the government is claiming that it is trying to clean corruption.

If the government really wants the country to get rid of the utterly shameful epithet, then it is the prime minister who will have to take bold decision. I think the government machinery of course has information who are corrupt. Then why not take appropriate action against the real corrupt? We know that corruption is everywhere and the honest are rare. But then government will have to decide now how long will the country bear the brunt?

Don't sue or harass any officer only due to his political belief. As a citizen every one has the right to have his/her political belief. But as a government employee none should take part in direct politics. There are necessary laws restricting these people from taking part in direct politics. If any one breaks these rules then he/she should be punished according to proper procedure.

If the government files cases against senior leaders of the main opposition party then first people would thing that it is only to harass the opposition leaders. This belief have grown in people's mind because they haven't found any influential man to be punished despite there being allegations. Only former President H M Ershad had to be in jail for corruption. Many think it happened only because both Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina were of the opinion to punish him. But except Erashad none of his ministers had to face trial. Now many of them have changed their tent. Some of them are in BNP camp, some in Awami League, but none is in jail.

It is common with our governments. But if this continues we are sure that we shall never escape from the corruption net.