"Democracy," Hypocrisy and Indian Muslims: by Research schloar, New Delhi
VognoDuut1074
Pakistan's strenuous efforts to establish fruitful relations with India
have shown some positive signs since President Musharraf came to power.
Abdul Ruff Colachal
Although there are no confirmed secret prisons in India as yet for torturing
Muslims, but as an aspiring "strategic partner" of USA, India's general
attitude toward Muslims is alarming. India, whose main focus of national
interest continues to be "Hindutva" (displayed discretely), yet claims to be
the largest democracy of the world, whereas its neighbor, Pakistan is ruled
by a military regime. Religious politics in India has badly harmed the
genuine interests of Muslims in the country, who are increasingly used by
the ruling classes as a mere vote bank, rather than treating as equal
citizens, and in order to avoid addressing the problems facing the Muslims
in a "democracy", issue of Pakistan is often invoked by the politicians and
bureaucrats.It appears that improved Indo-Pakistan relations would make the
life of Muslims less hard some.
In this connection, Pakistan's strenuous efforts to establish fruitful
relations with India have shown some positive signs since President
Musharraf came to power.The BJP led NDA government under A.B.Vajpayee also
reciprocated the Pakistan's genuine desires for good neighborly
relations.Islamabad's this achievement is significant considering the fact
both fought a few wars and India made it a policy to snub Pakistan in
international forums, routinely accused Pakistan of sponsoring "terrorism"
in India and asked, quite unsuccessfully, the USA as well as UN to declare
Pakistan a "terrorist state", chiefly to undermine the US-Pakistan ties.
When USA designated Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally, New Delhi lost all
hopes of getting Islamabad sidelined or eventually driven away from
Washington.
India does not hesitate using the Muslims as a tool in advancing its own
national interest abroad while injuring and insulting them in all possible
ways. By denying the Muslims their legitimate rights on higher education,
jobs, retirement settlement and other benefits of socio-economic
development, the federal and state governments block them from entering the
real national mainstream. Essentially to settle score with Pakistanis and to
discredit their image, India tries to malign the Indian Muslims. It is a
common feature that death traps are laid for the Muslims at various spots,
like the ones operating at Bhakra Nangal in Himachal Pradesh, Goa, New
Delhi, Kerala and Tamil Nadu,
Establishment of Indo-Pakistan Commission in 2005 was a landmark in
Indo-Pakistan ties, though New Delhi is keen not to push forward the
relations that would perhaps be advantageous to Indian Muslims. Musharraf
has made several unilateral proposals to ease tensions between the
countries, including one on Kashmir, but Indian media just don't seem to
allow any serious, positive development taking place in the bilateral ties.
However, reality of crude religious politics preferred by Indian politicians
just doesn't allow any real advances in the cross-border relations.
Recently a delegation of Archaeological Survey of Pakistan sent by President
Musharraf visited India and met Indian leaders including the BJP leader
Mr.L.K. Advani. They submitted a detailed plan for renovation work on Hindu
temples in Pakistan at its own cost. Though not very sure, it seems, the
Indian government might also be considering measures of reciprocation to
reconstruct the grand Babri Mosque at Ayodhya, demolished in 1992 by the
Hindu fanatic terrorists (non-terrorists?) led by Advani.
Clearly, the entire destructive project at Ayodhya in 1992 was misguided by
a flow of hollow emotionalism. Of course, later Advani did repent for that
barbarous act of arson at Ayodhya. Before the demolition, Government of
India, in order to "justify" the ultimate destruction of Babri Mosque, was
cleaver enough to first to prohibit Muslims from offering prayers in the
Babri Mosque by locking the mosque and then to call Babri Mosque a
"structure" that could be destroyed just like that.
Evidently, there are a few more mosques in India that are under the custody
of the government or non-Muslims and are forbidden for Muslims' entry or
other restrictions are placed on Muslims. The government of India expects
that in due course these mosques would also become mere "structures" only to
be pulled down by some anti-Islamic forces. Protests by Muslims to regain
religious entry have been total failure for known reasons. The fact that
there are a number of the so-called "suspected terrorists", arrested for no
valid reasons, languishing in Indian jails without being tried vindicates
the larger hidden agenda of the government against Muslim interests. For
instance, the Jamali Mosque in New Delhi's Mehrauli area, under the
government occupation, is a glaring example of how shabbily the believers in
Islam are treated in India. Here those charged with the task of protecting
the mosque are found playing cards, smoking, drinking, --and what not-- even
during broad daylight.
Attack on Muslims and Islamic institutions, among other wrong doings, go on
unabated and, obviously, the state is in glows with those who indulge in
such anti-societal, anti-democratic activities. Interestingly, the Arab
nations having clout in New Delhi do not seem to influence the Indian rulers
to be fair to the Muslims also and treat them as equal citizens.Naturally,
the average Muslims in the country did hope that some superman like "Osama
Bin Laden" would save them eventually. But when "Osama" himself was seen
being on the run, Saddam cruelly murdered and Mahmoud Ahmedinejad targeted
for attack by the Allied forces led by the USA, even that faint hope for
brighter "future" also died down in their minds.
Hypocrisy defines the actions as much of Muslims as of both the media and
the anti-Muslim forces operating in the country. Overseas remittances
received from the Muslims working in the Middle East have contributed to the
economic development of India, but the marginalized Muslims are not taken
care of the governments,In projecting themselves as secularists so as to be
in the "national mainstream", Indian Muslims identify themselves more with
political parties like Congress, BJP, JD, RJD,SP,Communists, DMK and ADMK,
etc-- most of which pursue hidden anti-Muslim agenda and coordinate pretty
well their strategies to keep the Muslims "down" and under duress and full
control--, than with Islam. India while readily using the Muslim leaders of
various parties and organizations, including the Muslim League, to obtain
maximum benefits from the Arab world, refuses to address the essential
problems facing the Muslims of the nation.
The fact the Muslims in India had, during the Partition in 1947, opted to
stay back in India on the assurance given by the then Prime minister
Jawaharlal Nehru that they would be safe and their interests would be
protected in India, but neither he nor his successors kept that promise, let
alone considering them for "preferential treatment" as proclaimed by the
Constitution of India. On the contrary, the Muslims are under constant
threat.With no Mahatmas (Greats) around to support them, the Indian Muslims
have been on the defensive since 1947.The same attitude is reflected in
India's attitude to Kashmiris, waging a long struggle for re-Independence
and now known in New Delhi as "separatists" and "terrorists", whereas,
strangely enough, those who had fought for India's freedom are called
"patriots".
Enough is really enough, and Pakistan seems to have woken up now to consider
the plight of Indian Muslim as well by creating mutual trust between these
countries.Without looking back,Indo-Pakistan relations should be further
straightened. Hopefully, the delegation of Pakistan has impressed the Indian
government to pursue reconstruction of Babri Mosque earnestly at the site
where it stood before, as promised by the then federal Congress government
when the Mosque was demolished. Even if it has not, government of India
should on its own initiate steps to rebuild and "rediscover" Babri Masjid
and help people in the country as well as across the borders live
harmoniously.
It is time to think of positive steps of reconstruction not only of
religious places in both countries, but also of truly friendly bridges
between them and enhance cross-border ties between peoples -- the beginning
for that has already been made from both sides.It seems Nehru used to admire
the line:" The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have a promise to
keep...." The terrorism plank employed by the governments has already harmed
the Muslims greatly. Who knows, one day some one in New Delhi's corridors of
power would care for those promises sooner than later, ignoring the ugly
designs of the destructive forces existing to halt the peace process. First,
Indian media must overcome the anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan mindset they
suffer from.
[The author is a Research Scholar, School of International Studies
Jawaharlal Nehru University, NewDelhi]
nkdat...@bigmailbox.net
> Democracy," Hypocrisy and Indian Muslims: by Research schloar, New Delhi
>
Bangladesh's Slide To Most Corrupt Nation Began With Impunity To War
Criminals ..... .....
http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/03/20/d70320011911.htm
Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
'Impunity to war criminals gave birth to graft'
Impunity to the war criminals after independence of the country has
given birth to unlimited crimes that ultimately resulted in
degradation of values, corruption and injustice in the society,
representatives of the freedom fighters from across the country said
yesterday.
The war criminals must be brought to justice for building a prosperous
Bangladesh free of fanaticism and social disparity, they said at a
discussion on 'Recalling the Memories of Liberation War and
Expectation from the Present Government'.
Bangladesh Amar Sadhanar Desh, a platform of the freedom fighters from
all levels, which organised the discussion, demanded immediate
formation of a judicial or review committee to probe the war crimes,
identify the criminals and recommend their punishment.
The culture of looting spread out and trend of human rights violation
went up unabated and the people lost their trust in justice and truth,
as the genocide, rape and other forms of repression in 1971 have not
been dealt with properly, said Dr MA Hasan, convener of War Crimes
Facts Finding Committee, Bangladesh.
The Pakistan occupation army in 1971 got involved in genocide, rape,
arson and looting while several thousand local collaborators including
the Biharis, Rajakars, al-Badars, al-Shams and Shanti Committee men
abetted and provoked the genocide and war crimes, said a report of the
War Crimes Facts Finding Committee.
The committee identified 287 Pakistani war criminals including 191
'high level' criminals and 30 to 40 'top criminals' among who are
Pakistani generals Yahiya Khan, Tikka Khan, Rao Farman Ali. Late
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto could also be tried as the main instigator of the
genocide, said the report.
During the Liberation War, many union council members and Imams of
mosques directly or indirectly favoured the Pakistani forces, Dr Hasan
said referring to the research findings of the War Crimes Facts
Finding Committee.
"Other than political ideology, personal and group interests and ill-
intentions acted behind commission of the evil acts. As those looters
and fanatic forces could evade the justice system, they managed to
amass huge property taking the opportunity of political change later,"
he said.
There is an obligation on the part of Bangladesh to try the war
criminals, as it signed different international conventions, he said,
adding that Bangladesh itself has to initiate the trial procedure.
Dr Hasan, however, said UN General Council or Security Council could
also form a special tribunal with the approval and request from
Bangladesh for trying the criminals at international level.
On December 16 of 1971, the 93,000 members of the Pakistani occupation
army surrendered to the joint forces of India and Bangladesh, but the
anti-liberation political forces and the Bangali collaborators of the
occupation army did not officially surrender, said Maj Gen (rtd) Syed
Muhammad Ibrahim, chairman of Bangladesh Amar Sadhanar Desh.
Stressing the formation of a probe committee to identify all the war
criminals and try them, he said, "We must start the task immediately,
so that all the fourteen crore people of the country can proceed to
the path of prosperity."
"We should observe a 'hatred day' to show our abhorrence of the war
criminals," said freedom fighter Nurul Amin.
Clean politics will not be established unless the war criminals are
brought to book and the present caretaker government should have the
issue of their trial on its agenda, said professor Shamsul Alam.
Bangladesh Amar Sadhanar Desh Secretary General Maj (rtd) Md Ahsan
Ullah, Maj Gen (rtd) Masudur Rahman, Khandakar Nurunnabi, former MP
Maj Akhtaruzzaman, Brig Gen Mamudul Haq, former additional secretary
Masud Ahmed, Rabiul Alam, Shahjahan Kabir, Anwar Hossain Pahari also
spoke on the occasion.
=======================================================================================================
Bangladesh Thieves Take The Bronze After 5 Successive Golds .....
Bangladesh Wins Bronze In Corruption After 5 Successive Golds .....
http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/cpi_2006/cpi_table
http://ww1.transparency.org/cpi/2005/cpi2005_infocus.html#cpi
Bangladesh Stiil Among The Most Corrupt
Countries with a significant improvement in perceived levels of
corruption include: Algeria, Czech Republic, India, Japan, Latvia,
Lebanon, Mauritius, Paraguay, Slovenia, Turkey, Turkmenistan and
Uruguay.
TI 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index
COUNTRY 2006 RANK 2006 CPI SCORE 2005 RANK 2005 CPI
SCORE
Iceland 1 9.6 1 9.7
Japan 17 7.6 21 7.3
USA 20 7.3 17 7.6
Israel 34 5.9 28 6.3
India 70 3.3 88 2.9
China 70 3.3 78 3.2
Sri Lanka 84 3.1 78 3.2
Iran 105 2.7 88 2.9
Nepal 121 2.5 117 2.5
Pakistan 142 2.2 144 2.1
Chad 156 2.0 158 1.7
Bangladesh 156 2.0 158 1.7
Myanmar 160 1.9 155 1.8
==================================================================
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/11/12/d61112020537.htm
Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Sunday, November 12, 2006
EDITORIAL
Taking the bronze
By ANM Nurul Haque
Bangladesh has been dropped to third from the first position this year
after staying on top of the corruption perception index (CPI) for the
last five years. Berlin-based international anti-corruption watchdog
body, Transparency International (TI) released its report for 2006 on
November 6 in which Bangladesh has been ranked as the 3rd lowest
scorer along with three African countries --Chad, Congo, and Sudan.
Bangladesh scored 1.7 points last year on a scale of 0-10 and had been
at the top of the list of most corrupt countries in the world for five
successive years from 2001-2005. It was ranked 3rd from bottom this
year, having scored 2.0. Among the South Asian neighbours, Pakistan
was ranked 142nd from the top with a score of 2.2 points Nepal 121st
with 2.5 points, Sri Lanka 84th with 3.1 points, and India 70th with
3.3 points.
Finland, Iceland, and New Zealand were jointly ranked least corrupt
with 9.6 points while Haiti was ranked at the bottom of the list with
1.8 points, followed by Myanmar and Iraq with 1.9 points each. A total
of 163 countries were included this year in the CPI, out of which 71
countries have scores below 3 points, indicating a strong correlation
between corruption and poverty, while industrialized countries have
continued to score relatively high on the CPI 2006.
There have been a lot of controversies among the ruling circle on the
methodology of research for detecting the trend of corruption in
Bangladesh since the country was first crowned as the king of
corruption in 2001. The governments that were in power in all these
years reacted negatively with increasing venom to TI, even threatening
to take its Bangladesh chapter to court for what they claimed was a
campaign to spoil the country's image abroad.
One does not really need any special research methodology to detect
the trend of corruption in Bangladesh, as the corruption is all-
pervasive. If any proof is needed about the massive scale of
corruption in some of the ministries, it has been provided in the
white paper on power sector corruption published on November 8 by the
recently formed Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The white paper said
that Tk 6,000 crore was looted during the five-year tenure of the
immediate past government.
Corruption was in rampant during the whole tenure of the alliance
government. The BNP-led alliance government suspended two fertilizer
projects on the ground of corruption by the AL government, when it
came to power in 2001. But Begum Khaleda Zia inaugurated both the over-
priced fertilizer plants on September 12, imposing perennial losses on
the nation.
According to the TIB's corruption database, over Tk 34,550 crore went
down the drain from the public exchequer in six years since 2000. On
the basis of 3,293 newspaper reports scanned during the year 2000, TIB
said that the government faced a loss of Tk 17,192.58 crore. TIB came
out with the figure of Tk 11,296 crore for the year 2001. The loss of
the government was Tk 4,391.67 crore in 2002. It however, came down
below Tk 1,000 crore in 2003, but rose to Tk 4,130 crore in 2004.
Around 6,000 allegations of corruption against the political bigwigs,
including former ministers and MPs, are pending as the ACC remains
dysfunctional since its formation on November 21, 2004. The ACC failed
to initiate any investigation of these allegations as it lacks any
rules for functioning and the ruling elites have been making the best
use of the inactivity of the ACC.
Former law and parliamentary minister Moudud Ahamed, who once claimed
the formation of the ACC as a landmark step of his government in
fulfilling its election pledge of combating corruption, has now
crippled it. Moudud moved against a High Court order on November 1,
and got the functioning of the ACC stayed up to January 21 amid
growing demands for investigation into corruption of ministers and MPs
of the BNP-led alliance government.
Former communication minister, Najmul Huda, who is accused of huge
corruption, including CNG import scam of Tk 2 billion, took initiative
for leasing 4.16 acres of railway land in a prime location in the
capital to a firm for construction of a five-star hotel, without
floating any tender and violating rules and procedures. The lease
agreement was signed on October 19, only eight days before the step-
down of the BNP-led alliance government, and is another glaring
example of major corruption.
Bangladesh has also been excluded from the list of countries selected
for US assistance to be provided through the Millennium Challenge
Account (MCA) funds for 2007 due to its endemic corruption. Earlier
World Bank cancelled and demanded refund of Tk 6.8 crore from three
projects for corruption. The international development partners
including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank are always coming
down heavily on the government for its failure in curbing massive
corruption, for which the country is known in the world.
The fundamental problem that lies with corruption in our country is
the dominance of the vested interests. The misuse of public power for
private gain is the major means of corruption, which has assumed
alarming proportions. Corruption is not just taking bribes; it covers
a broad spectrum of misdeeds. So, it is not an easy task to curb
corruption and it calls for concordant efforts from the government,
opposition, and the civil society.
There is no real reason for us to be satisfied with climbing up two
steps on the CPI ladder, as the improvement is not a real one. The
rude reality lies in the fact that more countries have come under TI
scrutiny this year and some other countries have performed worse than
Bangladesh. We fully agree with Prof Muzaffer Ahamed, chairman of the
board of trustees of TIB who said: "My personal experience is that
corruption has worsened in the country." All people in this country
know this harsh truth, as they themselves are the helpless victims of
rampant corruption.
The people at large are expecting the ACC to be activated during the
tenure of the caretaker government and to take action against
ministers and MPs of the BNP-led four-party government, if any
specific allegation of corruption can be substantiated.
But Moudud's move is likely to stop the ACC's functioning during the
whole tenure of the CTG. Now it is quite clear that the BNP-led
alliance government formed the ACC only to hoodwink the donors as well
as the people of this country. The people of this country will not
have salvation from the curse of corruption until political power is
passed on to honest and clean persons.
==================================================================
http://www.newagebd.com/2006/nov/11/edit.html#2
New Age, Dhaka, bangladesh
Saturday, November 11, 2006
EDITORIAL
The pervasive corruption - what's the way out?
BANGLADESH in the latest Transparency International report does not
top the list of corrupt countries. It has climbed two points up in the
race, at the third position and after five years ceded its dubious
distinction to others. Cold comfort. Not that corruption has been
contained. The 'gain' is not due to any positive factor. As the TI
said, 'The fact that Bangladesh no longer occupies the last place in
the table is attributable more to the poorer performance of several
other countries than to a drop in corruption levels in Bangladesh as
such.' In other words, not that Bangladesh ran slower in the race, but
a few other competitors ran faster. This shows that the malady of
pervasive corruption is common to many other countries. A cold comfort
again.
Although the TI is in the business for the last few years we must
mention here that we cannot vouch for the accuracy and authenticity of
its Corruption Perception Index. We have no idea what criteria are
applied, how the details of the complex and clandestine operations are
assessed. When corruption is so difficult to prove in a court of law,
how a few watchdogs can know all about it inside out? We may presume
that the assessment is notional. The TI itself calls it a
'perception'. That does not mean some computation and quantification
cannot be convincingly made. We are referring to some such
quantifications below. Although it is not difficult to contest the TI
findings, there is no getting away from the fact that corruption has
tainted all aspects of life, distorted all planning, widened the
wealth gap, created a parallel economy of black money, and undermined
ethics and values. All these add up and corruption contributes to
social instability.
How to go about the business of limiting corruption? The two
instruments that are commonly believed to be able to fight corruption
are transparency and accountability. It is as strange as it is
ironical that during the last few years when corruption has been
striking deeper roots, accountability and transparency have become
vogue words in political and administrative practice as never before.
Then how is it that we are talking one way and doing another way?
The most tainted sections are listed as the lower courts, land-
related departments, police, arbitration and relief of local
governments, bank, power, tax department, health, pension and
education. Many citizens will add that they have bitter experience
with Biman and civil aviation department also. In 2004 the
Transparency International Bangladesh said the officials and workers
of the Chittagong Port and Customs take Tk 783 crore from exporters
and importers every year. Last year the TIB also said that Tk 6,796
crore is paid in bribe annually and that every citizen has to pay Tk
485 on an average. Of course, bribery is not the only form of
corruption; there are subtler kinds. Breaking the bonds of law and
morality in diverse ways, exercising undue influence, evading taxes,
etc.
If transparency and accountability are not working, it shows there
is need for greater vigilance by the watchdog bodies, the media, the
monitoring institutions, greater access of the public to information
relating to matters of vital national interest. The Right to
Information Act has not been legislated even in this Information Age.
On the other hand, a hoary piece of legislature called Official
Secrets Act is still in place and is being used by the corrupt
elements as a shield against public gaze. The forbidding tags on
government files like 'Secret', 'Top Secret', 'Confidential' are being
misused in government offices to perpetuate the atmosphere of hush-
hush in official business. The prying by outsiders or any probing
question is interference in state administration. In this climate of
secrecy corruption can thrive easily.
Although transparency and accountability have been so much in the
air these years, the people whose responsibility it was to exact
accountability went into hibernation. Parliament became dormant, for
long periods it was being boycotted by the mainline opposition party,
often it lacked quorum. Lawmakers were more interested to involve
themselves in local affairs of their constituencies than to make the
bureaucracy accountable. Not that they had the power to probe every
thing, the spending of every ministry. Some sacred cows of old
autocratic days still remain sacred cows, not to be touched by public
representatives, or anyone else. Some large procurements cannot be
scrutinised.
The fact that the TI rating may not be cent per cent accurate does
not exonerate the rulers of their responsibility to act to put a check
on corruption. What strikes us is that after each successive
international indictment of the country it is life as usual in
government departments, including those which are most prone to
corruption. No effort is visible to protect the members of the public
from extortion by officials. Just if a notice were put up cautioning
the public against the illegal extractors in the corruption-prone
government offices, that alone might have acted as a psychological
deterrent on the bribe takers. Nothing is done to encourage the public
to appeal to the higher authorities against any harassment, to seek
redress. As if corruption is tolerated. There are not many instances
of a high-up being prosecuted. Worse, when action against an
individual for corruption was at all taken, it was usually from
partisan angle and this mixing up of anti-corruption drive with
political retaliation made it more difficult to control corruption.
Thus, even if in the future some corrupt elements are prosecuted, the
punishment will not carry any shame and disgrace because such
'victimisation' has already acquired a political aura. The corrupt
elements are further emboldened.
In a way government policies have already given respectability to
black money operators. Fiscal policies are framed which enable the
black money hoarders to whiten, that is, legitimise, their ill-gotten
gains. Thus a corrupt element and tax dodger is not only allowed to
escape punishment but also to transform herself or himself into a
respectable investor. A reward for corruption. Ethically outrageous.
But seldom has any protest been voiced. The conscientious taxpayer -
now an endangered species - will, therefore, think twice or thrice
before filing his income tax declaration.
Speaking of the vigilance bodies, the office of ombudsman remains
perpetually vacant. Under intense pressure of lending agencies,
perhaps, the Anti Corruption Commission was instituted but this ACC is
like the un-toothed snake in Sukumar Ray's nursery rhyme who cannot
hiss or heave and lacks the power to strike. Some observers feel that
one central ombudsman may not be of any help and each department
should have its own ombudsman.
To say that corruption is increasing worldwide will not extenuate
this country's guilt, but that is true nonetheless. Corruption figured
in the recent election campaign of US Congress. Tolerance threshold of
corruption has been raised in the western countries also. Names like
Enron and Halliburton carry sinister associations. The cause is
globalisation. If profit maximisation is made the be-all and end-all
of life then ethical de-sensitisation is unavoidable. The present
globalised world and its globalised market have no time or patience
for nitpicking over what means has been adopted towards the supreme
end of profit maximisation. In the desperate race for hooking
business, graft has become normal practice. Corruption itself is
becoming globalised. In fact, the western countries cannot afford to
be too sanctimonious in berating the prevalence of corruption in the
older civilisations. A big deal of corruption in this country almost
always has a western partner. Black money is stashed away to western
banks. Western resorts are a sanctuary for the corrupt fugitives from
justice.
Thus the international climate too is not ideal for leading the
moral life. Consumerism is being internationally fuelled, greed is
being whetted. This country therefore has to do more than would
normally be necessary to bring down the level of corruption. The
quality of governance has to be improved first of all. Poor governance
and corruption feed on each other. Businessmen should ply their
businesses and allow politicians to do politics. Since business
leaders have now acquired a greater share in decision making, they
should also take the responsibility of ridding the country of
corruption. Business leaders have become vocal over the vital
political and economic issues more than ever before and have acquired
greater power and influence. Fine. Many big instances of corruption
stem from business deals.
We have so long routinely blamed politicians and bureaucrats for
fattening themselves at the expense of the public. But now these
classes of people do not decide everything. Businessmen even wanted a
role in formulating the national budget - an absurd proposal because
fiscal policy would directly affect their interests. And no one can be
sure how many of them are paying the taxes honestly, even at the rates
lowered as 'incentives' for them. In former years we were told that
the state-owned enterprises were dens of corruption. But now
privatisation has not improved things. If anything, by creating
unemployment it has made honest living impossible for countless
people. Looking at the prices of essentials, the word 'syndicate'
would now send a chill down the spine of the low-income consumer.
Unguarded, unmonitored and non-accountable privatisation has made
corruption more entrenched. To improve the scenario, to move further
up in the TI's corruption perception index, all sections will have to
do better, the political leaders, bureaucrats and those in business
and trades.
==================================================================
http://thedailystar.net/2006/12/09/d612091501101.htm
Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Saturday, December 9, 2006
International Anti-Corruption Day
M. Abdul Latif Mondal
December 9 is Interna-tional Anti-Corruption Day. The creation of an
Anti-Corruption Day by the United Nations is in large part a result of
the international lobbying efforts by Transparency International (TI),
a global civil society organisation, to recognise worldwide anti-graft
initiatives and to end the devastating impact of corruption on all
aspects of the societies around the world. International Anti-
Corruption Day will be observed by the governments of the countries
which have so far signed or ratified the UN Convention Against
Corruption (UNCAC). Besides, the local chapters of the TI in different
countries will observe the day by holding rallies, seminars, etc.
Bangladesh is yet to sign the aforesaid UNCAC. Although there may not
be observance of the day at the state level, it is expected that the
two-year old Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which is yet to be
fully effective, will make some arrangement for the observance of the
day to raise the people's awareness of corruption, which it is
mandated to do under section 17 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act,
2004. It is, however, known that Transparency International Bangladesh
(TIB), the local chapter of the TI, will observe the day by holding
seminar, etc.
By resolution 58/4 of 2003, the General Assembly of the United Nations
(UNGA) designated December 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day.
This decision was taken to raise awareness of corruption and emphasise
the coordinating role of the UN in combating and preventing it. The
UNGA urged all states and competent regional economic integration
organisations to sign and ratify the UNCAC as soon as possible in
order to ensure its rapid entry into force.
As per its in-built provision, the UNCAC entered into force from
December 2005 following its ratification by 30 member states.
Available information suggests that till date140 countries have signed
the Convention and 67 countries have ratified it. The Convention is
the first legally binding instrument on corruption and a comprehensive
document that includes measures on prevention, criminalisation and
international cooperation. The Convention has thus provided a unique
opportunity to mount a global response to a global problem.
It hardly needs reiteration that the societies which have massive
corruption suffer misery in a thousand ways. Both developing and
developed countries suffer from this ignoble vice of corruption
although corruption is rampant in most of the developing countries.
Corruption in developed countries is sophisticated in nature and the
common people normally cannot feel it. Corruption adversely affects a
country politically, economically, administratively or otherwise.
Many political scientists are of the opinion that corruption in a
country undermines the legitimacy of its political institutions and
thus the government is less able to rely on the cooperation and
support of the people. Consequently, the government is compelled to
resort to force and coercive tactics to maintain order against the
rising violence. Many of the military takeovers in Asia, Africa and
Latin America have been justified by the need to stamp out corruption.
Corruption leads to economic inefficiency and wastage because of its
effects on the allocation of funds, on consumption and on production.
Available data show that every year, over $1 trillion is paid in
bribes with devastating consequences, particularly in developing
countries. Gains obtained through corruption are unlikely to be
transferred to the investment sector. Ill-gotten money is either used
up in conspicuous consumption or is transferred to foreign bank
accounts. Such transfers represent a capital leakage to the domestic
economy. Further, corruption discourages foreign direct investment
(FDI) which is needed by a developing country.
Many analysts hold the opinion that corruption in developing countries
generates administrative inefficiency and ineffectiveness at all
levels of public administration. Recruitment of inept and incompetent
individuals to various posts of civil service through nepotism and
favouritism results in the lowering of productivity in public
administration.
Let us now have a look at the Bangladesh situation. Corruption has
seriously affected Bangladesh politically, economically,
administratively or otherwise since her independence in 1971.
Immediately after independence, the rampant corruption worsening law
and order situation and price hike of essential commodities led to the
replacement of the multi-party parliamentary democracy with a one-
party dictatorial presidential form of government in January, 1975.
All these negative developments coupled with intrigues within the
ruling party led to the assassination of the founding father of the
nation and president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975. For the
next 15 years, the country saw various dictatorial military and
presidential regimes which justified taking over power to stamp out
corruption. The country reintroduced parliamentary democracy in 1991.
But the corrupt practices and confrontational politics of the two
major political parties, the BNP and the AL, which ruled the country
in succession for the last fifteen years, have created an unhealthy
situation for the growth of the nascent democracy in general and
parliamentary democracy in particular.
Corruption has eaten into the vitals of the economy. It has affected
macro-level planning such as inclusion of development projects in the
ADP, implementation of the ADP and non-ADP projects and inflow of
desired FDI. Procurement of goods, local and foreign, for
implementation of development activities in the public sector, has
been the meeting point of the vested interest groups composed of
corrupt political masters, senior bureaucrats and suppliers/
contractors.
Admittedly, the GDP growth rate in the recent years has been
reasonably satisfactory, but the highly unequal income distribution
remains a pressing problem. Report of the Poverty Monitoring
Survey-2004 published by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) shows
that the income of the poor household reduced in 2004 from 1999. On
the other hand, for the non-poor households it increased by 13. 8
percent during 1999 to 2004. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)
2005 shows that 49.8 percent people of the country remained below the
poverty line in 2000. Corruption has been identified as one of the
important factors for the unequal distribution of income in the
society.
Because of the unbridled corruption, Bangladesh was ranked by the TI
as the most corrupt country in the world for five consecutive years
beginning from 2001. In 2006, Bangladesh has occupied the third
position in the list of the most corrupt nations. This means that
there has practically been no change in our position.
As stated earlier, Bangladesh has not signed the UNCAC as yet. TIB and
some other analysts are of the opinion that the signing of the
Convention by Bangladesh would bring her, inter alia, the following
benefits:
* By becoming a State Party to the Convention, Bangladesh will send a
strong signal nationally and internationally about its recognition of
importance of addressing corruption with a comprehensive framework and
through coordination of national efforts with international
community.
* By signing the Convention, Bangladesh will ensure for herself access
to an extensive range of ways, means and standards for preventive
measures for public sector and private sector corruption.
* The signing of the Convention will give Bangladesh access to a
comprehensive international cooperation framework for mutual law
enforcement assistance, notably extradition and investigations.
* By signing the Convention, Bangladesh will give greater recognition
to the role of civil society and citizens at large in fighting
corruption.
* The signing of the Convention will speak for the strong commitment
of the government to combat corruption.
To conclude, available information reveals that among the South Asian
and Southeast Asian countries namely Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Cambodia,
Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, only Bangladesh is yet to sign the
UNCAC. The next elected government should not only take a positive
stand to sign the Convention, but also take all other necessary steps,
including strengthening the ACC, to drastically reduce corruption in
the country. That will considerably help regain the country's lost
image both at home and abroad.
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