They must be netted to face justice
by Anwar A. Khan
ANTI-CORRUPTION CRACKDOWN
PM Sheikh Hasina has categorically said, “Anti-corruption crackdown was necessary. I have brought it upon myself to right the wrong.” We must acclaim her for this bold step.
SYNOPSIS
Being a product of our glorious Liberation War of 1971 and based on more than four decades of practical service experience with private business firms (still serving for a large internationally reputed private business firm), the writer is trying to write this piece as anecdotes of a real incident.
 |
| PM Hasina |
Corruption is a constant in the society and occurs in all civilisations; however, it has only been in the past 20 years that this phenomenon has begun being seriously explored. It has many different shapes as well as many various effects, both on the economy and the society at large. Among the most common causes of corruption are the political and economic environment, professional ethics and morality and, of course, habits, customs, tradition and demography.
Corruption thus inhibits economic growth and affects business operations, employment and investments. It also reduces tax revenue and the effectiveness of various financial assistance programs. The wider society is influenced by a high degree of corruption in terms of lowering of trust in the law and the rule of law, education and consequently the quality of life (access to infrastructure, health care). There also does not exist an unambiguous answer as to how to deal with corruption. Something that works in one country or in one region will not necessarily be successful in another. This chapter tries to answer at least a few questions about corruption and the causes for it, its consequences and how to deal with it successfully.
INTRODUCTION
The word corruption is derived from the Latin word “corruptus,” which means “corrupted” and, in legal terms, the abuse of a trusted position in one of the branches of power (executive, legislative and judicial) or in political or other organisations with the intention of obtaining material benefit which is not legally justified for itself or for others.
CORRUPTION IS A GREAT SIN
Corruption is referred to as a great sin. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twist the words of the innocent. However, the history of corruption is, in fact, related to the beginning of the creation of law and the state and was already in the antiquity considered an evil, which negatively affects the public administration and the functioning of the political system. The earliest records of corruption date back to the thirteenth century BC, to the time of the Assyrian civilization. From the found plates, written in cuneiform, the archeologists managed to discern how and who accepted bribes.
Under the Roman law, the criminal offense of corruption was defined as giving, receiving or claiming benefits in order to influence an official in connection with his work. Due to the prevalence of corruption in the country, this law was supplemented by a new law, which predicted compensation for damage in double value of the damage, and the loss of political rights for the perpetrator of the corruptive act. However, this did not help alleviate corruption, especially due to the fact that corruption was most practiced by the members of the Senate and senior state officials, both in Rome itself and in the remote Roman provinces.
The early Muslim faith condemned corruption, yet corruption later also developed greatly in ecclesiastical structures, and achieved its peak with the selling of indulgences in the Middle Ages.
BANGLADESH FOR PEOPLE OF ALL CLASSES
Bangladesh was created in 1971 at very high price and the country was made for “people of all classes – both for haves and have-nots with equal rights.”
It is very outrageous that the corruption has been widespread during the last 2 decades or so in Bangladesh, especially amongst educated class. It was also earlier prevalent in our country, but not so much reckless surmount. If we, the educated class of people, do corruption to an untellable level, why did we study in schools, colleges and universities? What is the use of our education? We have now become third-rater robbers, not simple thieves! The ugly nature of casino business has recently unfurled our many wretched faces. The casino business is a prelude to our so many crimes (which are not yet unmasked) that we have been committing for long. Where shall we enshroud our faces? What is the difference between us and our poor people?
CORRUPTION OF POLITICIANS
The street urchins of one time have now become millionaires in an obnoxious nexus with some corrupt politicians. In fact, politics is a big science; here there is no short-cut way. The core spirit of politicians is to bring about common welfare of the mass people, whereas most of the politicians allaying this basic principle have become un-bridled businessmen in the guise of human being and in collusion with rogue people.
CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT OFFICES
There are so many government offices in the country and the officials working there shall have to be the public servants, but we, general people, are always hostage at their hands. They are sitting there to serve the nation and its citizens, but the situation there is diametrically the opposite. There are so many people there who are having very prestigious educational qualifications including PhD degrees, but they treat us slaves like being our masters of the Medieval Ages, whereas they are bound serve us as our boosters. In fact, their services are nothing, but for us, the slavery’s trail of tears. Kickbacks in the butterball amount in each case, they threaten us to feed them in red eyes. No bribery, no service! From top to bottom in each and every office, this rule is in existence. Nobody dares to say anything against them fearing more harm shall be inflicted to him or her by them.
ILL-EQUIPPED GOVERNMENT OFFICES
Most of the government offices are ill-equipped; no sufficient office space is available; the environment filthy; sufficient manpower is unavailable… whereas the employment creation of hundreds of thousands of qualified unemployed officials are existing there. But nobody is taking care of looking into this urgently needed; absolutely necessary task. And in the process of employment, merit shall receive the status established in order of importance or urgency. This is also barefacedly wanting. Without illegal blubber payoffs, no job is presumable. This temerity is irremissible!
BRIBERY CREATES INSECURITY IN THE ECONOMY
Bribery increases transaction costs and creates insecurity in the economy. It usually leads to ineffective economic results, in the long term impedes foreign and domestic investments, reallocates talents due to income and distorts sectorial priorities and technology choices (for example, it creates incentives for contracting major defense projects or unnecessary infrastructure projects, but does not encourage investments in rural specialist health clinics or in preventive health care). This pushes companies into the “underground” (outside the formal sector), weakens the state’s ability to increase revenue and leads to ever-increasing tax rates (as too little tax is taken), which is levied on less and less taxpayers, consequently diminishing the state’s ability to provide enough public goods, including the rule of law.
BRIBERY IS UNFAIR
Bribery is unfair, as it imposes a regressive tax, which heavily burdens in particular commercial and service activities performed by small businesses. Corruption destroys the legitimacy of the state.
Many other researchers and institutions (the World Bank Institute—WBI, the European Commission, the United Nations, the EBRD) have investigated corruption and its impact on macroeconomic and microeconomic indicators through various forms of corruption, as well as its connection with local customs and habits, and how it affects the everyday lives of people. Most studies are, therefore, mainly the analyses of the effects of corruption on various economic indicators, such as GDP growth, investments, employment, tax revenues and foreign investments or the study of various forms of corruption in relation to politics and the economic environment, the research of its social condition and various manifestations. My friend Sanjib Ahmed agrees with the negative effects, i.e. high economic, political and social costs, and adds that corruption is not a weakness of people but of institutions (supervisory and other), as they should be the ones to obstruct the greed and temptation of individuals within them.
CORRUPTION CANNOT BE ASSESSED UNAMBIGUOUSLY
Regardless of the above, corruption cannot be assessed unambiguously, since there is never only one phenomenon that is responsible for the occurrence and the development of it; corruption always arises from an array of several, interrelated factors, which can differ considerably from one another. Among the most commonly mentioned factors that influence the development of corruption are: political and economic environment, professional ethics and legislation, as well as purely ethnological factors, such as, customs, habits and traditions.
HOW TO DEAL WITH CORRUPTION
The answer to the question of how to deal with corruption is not unambiguous; some countries have achieved great success in dealing with it in a relatively short time (Singapore, Estonia and Georgia) and some have been struggling for a long time (the most famous example is Italy). The first condition is in any case to ensure freedom (personal freedom, economic freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, etc.) and democracy, and then education and awareness of people. However, at this point, it is not about introducing the Western type democracy, as our culture knows it, for it has often proven that, especially with the help of the army, more harm than benefit was caused. It is necessary to start using good practices of countries that are similar to each other (religion, habits, tradition, ethics and morality) and that have common history.
CORRUPTION IS A DESTROYER
Corruption is considered a destroyer not just of human prosperity but people’s chance to grow and be better. It undermines a government’s revenue which limits its capability to invest in areas that enhances productivity. It also reduces the government’s effort to lessen or even eradicate poverty.
CORRUPTION MAKES PEOPLE’S DECISION-MAKING SKILLS DISTORTED
Corruption can also make people’s decision-making skills distorted. It tempts people to satisfy their personal interests first before their obligations to others. This makes corruption a lot harder to control or stop. And if you don’t motivate yourself to do something about it, there’s a good chance you’ll fall victim to its negative effects as well.
THE CASINO BUSINESS CORRUPTION NOT THE SOLITARY ONE
The casino business corruption is not the solitary one in our society. Corruption has many other forms which are all must come under the scanner to inflict due punishment to those depraved people of all sections of our society.
Corruption is the greatest single bane of our society today. We must weed out corruption of the various forms in Bangladesh’s that are eating our very soul and build a strong system of justice that the people can trust under the leadership of PM Sheikh Hasina. Once again, I wish to applaud her…
(To be continued)
-The End –
The writer is a political commentator based in Bangladesh who writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs
Post a Comment