Govt to change whistleblower protection law
Says law minister
(From left) Executive Director of TIB Iftekharuzzaman, Mohammad Badiuzzaman, US Ambassador Dan W Mozena, ACC Chairman Ghulam Rahman, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed and Chief Information Commissioner Muhammad Zamir attend a discussion on the whistleblower protection act at a hotel in the capital yesterday. Photo: STAR
Necessary amendments would be made in the whistleblower protection law so that people feel protected and are encouraged to disclose public interest related information including embezzlement of public money, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said at a roundtable discussion yesterday. He said this in response to speakers' opinions that whistleblowers are reluctant to disclose information due to loopholes in the law including officers-in-charge of police stations being 'appropriate authority' to report to in case of illegal and immoral activities. Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) in partnership with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), USAID and PROGATI organised the discussion titled 'Whistleblowers Protection Act' at a hotel in the capital. The parliament on June 6 last year passed a bill on protection of whistleblowers. The bill would encourage a whistleblower to give the authorities concerned information about activities against public health, security, environment, criminal activities and misuse of power and irregularities. Shafique Ahmed said his government would take steps to enact law aimed to protect witnesses and victims of important cases including those of the war crimes trial. He said he would consider not making register of Supreme Court the 'appropriate authority' to whom whistleblowers will have to submit information in case of wrongdoings in judiciary. Earlier speakers urged the minister to make chief justice as the appropriate authority in such cases. The ACC Chairman Ghulam Rahman said corruption index of our country has been decreasing but the trend is very slow. US Ambassador Dan W Mozena, among others, spoke.
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