Bangladesh 97 percent Members of Parliament (MP are involved in negative activities
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Sayeed
Oct 16, 2012, 3:37:53 PM10/16/12
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national level newspapers have published reports on negative activities of 181 MPs (51.7 percent) in the time between January, 2009 and September, 2012.
Dhaka, Oct 14 (bdnews24.com) � A Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) research published on Sunday said 97 percent Members of Parliament (MPs) are involved in 'negative activities'.
It says they influence administration, control educational institutes, misappropriate development fund and even back criminal activities.
The Bangladesh chapter of the Berlin-based Transparency International also says that the MPs influence the administration's procurement decision, break electoral rules, and in many cases provide false information to get plots.
TIB recommended passing a code of conduct bill with provisions for taking legal steps against the legislators for such breach of rules and powers.
The group unveiled the findings on Sunday at a news conference at the Brac Centre Inn in Dhaka where a top official of the independent corruption watchdog said the MPs consider their posts 'a means of profit making'.
TIB Senior Programme Manager (Research and Policy) Shahjada M Akram presented the research findings titled 'Review of Positive and Negative Roles of the Ninth Parliament Members'.
TIB Trustee Board Chairperson Sultana Kamal, Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman, Trustee M Hafizuddin Khan were also present.
Iftekharuzzaman said, "The MPs are involving in negative activities while doing development works apart from their main responsibility as they consider their membership in parliament as a source of profitable earning."
Shahjada M Akram told the press briefing that they organised 44 discussions in 42 districts of the country for the research. At least 600 people including teachers, businessmen, lawyers, other professionals and journalists attended those discussions.
These people discussed and evaluated activities of 149 MPs --136 from ruling Awami League and 13 from the opposition. There are 27 ministers and state ministers among them.
TIB officials said the research was done based on the information and opinion of the direct or indirect experiences of those who attended the discussions.
Akram said among the 97 percent of these MPs directly involved in 'negative activities, seven are reserved seat women MPs and five are MPs from the opposition.
On the other hand, of the 149 MPs, 53.7 percent is involved with 'positive activities'. Of them, six are reserved seat women MPs, five are opposition MPs and 19 others are either ministers or state ministers.
The research included issues such as � contribution in health or education sectors, good relationship with the opposition, contribution in agriculture and local infrastructure development, personal activities, maintaining law and order, ensuring women empowerment as 'positive activities'.
Akram said national level newspapers have published reports on negative activities of 181 MPs (51.7 percent) in the time between January, 2009 and September, 2012.
Evaluation of Parliament business days between the first and seven sessions shows that the attendance percentage of the MPs in the sessions is only 67 percent. The question-answer session of the Prime Minister and the ministers takes 23.8 percent of the total time of a session while formulation of a law takes only 9.2 percent of the time.
The TIB research report also said the Parliament has no legal system to ensure accountability of the MPs except just staging the General Elections after every five years.
TIB Senior Programme Manager Akram said the 'culture of no punishment' has thrived because of no formulation of new committee in grassroots level of the major political parties for a long time, no conference, lack of creating new leaders and taking no steps against the MPs involved in negative activities.
The corruption watchdog's Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said, "Legal steps must be taken against those MPs. The code of conduct bill placed in Parliament must be passed as a law."
He also recommended ensuring effective and rightful participation of the opposition MPs in Parliament while demanded banning 30 days of absence without any specific reasons and seven straight days of absence of the MPs to ensure their presence in the House.
'97% MPs linked to negative activities'
Dhaka, Oct 14 (bdnews24.com) � A Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) research published on Sunday said 97 percent Members of Parliament (MPs) are involved in 'negative activities'. It says they influence administration, control educational institutes, misappropriate development fund and even back criminal activities.
The Bangladesh chapter of the Berlin-based Transparency International also says that the MPs influence the administration's procurement decision, break electoral rules, and in many cases provide false information to get plots.
TIB recommended passing a code of conduct bill with provisions for taking legal steps against the legislators for such breach of rules and powers.
The group unveiled the findings on Sunday at a news conference at the Brac Centre Inn in Dhaka where a top official of the independent corruption watchdog said the MPs consider their posts 'a means of profit making'.
TIB Senior Programme Manager (Research and Policy) Shahjada M Akram presented the research findings titled 'Review of Positive and Negative Roles of the Ninth Parliament Members'.
TIB Trustee Board Chairperson Sultana Kamal, Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman, Trustee M Hafizuddin Khan were also present.
Iftekharuzzaman said, "The MPs are involving in negative activities while doing development works apart from their main responsibility as they consider their membership in parliament as a source of profitable earning."
Shahjada M Akram told the press briefing that they organised 44 discussions in 42 districts of the country for the research. At least 600 people including teachers, businessmen, lawyers, other professionals and journalists attended those discussions.
These people discussed and evaluated activities of 149 MPs --136 from ruling Awami League and 13 from the opposition. There are 27 ministers and state ministers among them.
TIB officials said the research was done based on the information and opinion of the direct or indirect experiences of those who attended the discussions.
Akram said among the 97 percent of these MPs directly involved in 'negative activities, seven are reserved seat women MPs and five are MPs from the opposition.
On the other hand, of the 149 MPs, 53.7 percent is involved with 'positive activities'. Of them, six are reserved seat women MPs, five are opposition MPs and 19 others are either ministers or state ministers.
The research included issues such as � contribution in health or education sectors, good relationship with the opposition, contribution in agriculture and local infrastructure development, personal activities, maintaining law and order, ensuring women empowerment as 'positive activities'.
Akram said national level newspapers have published reports on negative activities of 181 MPs (51.7 percent) in the time between January, 2009 and September, 2012.
Evaluation of Parliament business days between the first and seven sessions shows that the attendance percentage of the MPs in the sessions is only 67 percent. The question-answer session of the Prime Minister and the ministers takes 23.8 percent of the total time of a session while formulation of a law takes only 9.2 percent of the time.
The TIB research report also said the Parliament has no legal system to ensure accountability of the MPs except just staging the General Elections after every five years.
TIB Senior Programme Manager Akram said the 'culture of no punishment' has thrived because of no formulation of new committee in grassroots level of the major political parties for a long time, no conference, lack of creating new leaders and taking no steps against the MPs involved in negative activities.
The corruption watchdog's Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said, "Legal steps must be taken against those MPs. The code of conduct bill placed in Parliament must be passed as a law."
He also recommended ensuring effective and rightful participation of the opposition MPs in Parliament while demanded banning 30 days of absence without any specific reasons and seven straight days of absence of the MPs to ensure their presence in the House.
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