Anti-graft body

The government is clearly hanging on to the decrepit status quo (the permission was always needed in the past) which will badly compromise the independence of the new body. The very idea behind setting up a separate independent anti-corruption body was to structurally detach it from the PMO. But the last-minute tag attached to it will surely defeat its main objective -- working independently.

Furthermore, corruption in the defence sector has been kept out of the purview -- a notable omission restricting the anti-graft body's sphere of activities. The point is relevant, as the popular expectation was that it would act as a bulwark against corruption in all the public sectors.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Besides, seeking permission from the government for prosecuting a state official will be a time consuming affair that will negate the concept of quick dispensation of justice. After all, we are having to deal with corruption in high places as well as that which is institutionalised and entrenched.

Bangladesh has been rated as the most corrupt country in the world and the primary objective behind having a new anti-graft body is to salvage our image through launching a direct assault on corruption. But the caveat can only weaken the proposed new apparatus.

It would be a worthwhile exercise to look into how established democracies are handling the issues of investigation and prosecution of state officials alleged to have committed corruption. The anti-corruption authorities are allowed to work independent of executive control in them.

The government wants to retain control over the process of its functionaries being prosecuted by the anti-corruption body. A deeper look into the matter will reveal that this control is susceptible to political manipulation that may completely nullify the advantages of an independent system working against corruption.

We have witnessed a raging debate over the composition, terms of reference and the writ of the proposed anti-graft body. However, all these will mean nothing if the government does not take its hands off the system and gives it full functional freedom.