What a pointless row!

The most scurrilous point is that the chairman of the TIB trustee board was denigrated by the minister who said publicly, as telecast over TV, that Prof Ahmad had lost his job as an advisor to Ziaur Rahman's government due to 'corruption'. Prof Ahmad has refuted the allegation by clarifying that it was he who resigned (rather than being sacked) over difference of opinion with the then head of government. After this, the controversy whipped up by the minister, must be laid to rest.

TIB has also been threatened that if the corruption database report were not withdrawn, appropriate action will follow from the minister. There would be simultaneous cases filed against the TIB report and that the TIB itself will be rendered inoperative.

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The entire gamut of the ministerial reaction can either be described as immature and naive or a product from an unaccountable government. What was the point in staging a drama with a TIB representative taking a brunt of it all. The impetuous reaction of the ministers was more with an eye to the election rather than something based on facts.

If the ministers had any serious observations to make then they could either issue a written statement or met with the TIB leaders by way of seeking clarification. Now, the offer of the chairman of the trustee board for a face-to-face meeting appears potentially of a trouble shooting type and perhaps needs to be taken by the LGRD minister in good grace.

In conclusion, we would like to use a quote from the chairman of the TIB trustee board: 'All the ruling parties end up treating TIB as an opponent.' This attitude cannot help fight corruption. We suggest that if the energy expended by the ministers to launch an attack on TIB were used to curb corruption, the evil would have been eradicated by now.