Transparency crucial to combat graft
Say anti-corruption activists
Accountability and transparency at all levels of governance are crucial to prevent corruption in the society, said anti-corruption activists at a debate competition in the city yesterday.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) organised the two-day shadow parliamentary debate competition on Environment and Corruption at Brac University to mark the International Corruption Day on December 9.
Corruption will engulf the issues of environment in absence of transparency and accountability, as it involves water, forests and mineral resources, said Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of TIB, at the inaugural session.
Corruption occurs in different manners at different levels of the society with abuse of power, absence of accountability, transparency, enforcement of law and institutional weaknesses, he said.
Incorporating tolerance to and accommodating other's views in exercising democracy is essential for the success of democratic politics, said Iftekhar adding that it would be easy to prevent corruption if the law enforcement agencies have the integrity and they can work free from political influence.
According to TIB estimate, a total of Tk 6,796 crore is wasted every year in the country due to corruption, which could be utilised to set up eight thousand hospitals.
Dr Shahdeen Malik, director of School of Law of Brac University, said that it is vital how one perceives corruption.
Entertaining unjust requests abusing an organisational position, without taking direct benefit, is even a kind of corruption, said Dr Malik, also an eminent lawyer of the Supreme Court.
However, he said, by the time today's youths take on professional life in next one decade, a tangible progress will take place in the society in preventing corruption.
"In fact, the corruption itself has prompted the society to react and resist the menace," he said.
Over 300 university debaters from across the country are taking part in the competition at Brac University and East West University.
TIB event has been funded by UNDP with The Daily Star, ABC Radio and private television channel Bangla Vision as media partners.
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