Code of Conduct for ministers: Suranjit

Awami League Advisory Council member and former minister Suranjit Sengupta has urged the government to come up with a Code of Conduct for ministers to avoid embarrassment.

"Many ministers suddenly come with statements that get the government and the prime minister in deep trouble. The way out of such a predicament could be a Code of Conduct for ministers. The government should examine the proposal," Sengupta told a discussion in Dhaka on Saturday.

Telecom Minister Abdul Latif Siddique put the government in considerable embarrassment by lashing out at Hajj and Tabligh as 'useless practices' in a Sept 28 event in New York.

In the huge furore that followed, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had to drop Siddique from her Cabinet.

Siddique had said at that event that he stoutly opposed Hajj and Tabligh because he felt they were 'non-productive practices' and caused much economic loss to the nation. He also stoutly opposed the Jamaat-e-Islami.

Devout Muslims slapped more than two dozen cases against Siddique for 'hurting' their religious sentiments and the BNP and some Islamic organisations threatened a massive agitation if he was not arrested and expelled from party and government.

Hasina said on Friday that Siddique had been dropped from the Cabinet and would also lose his party membership.

Speaking at a discussion organised by the Dhaka Reporters Unity, Suranjit Sengupta insisted that if judges could have a Code of Conduct, ministers must have one.

"They are political and social role models. They can't be irresponsible with what they say. They represent the state."

Sengupta said such Code of Conduct for ministers existed in India and the US.

"Cabinets will come and go but to avoid embarrassment, it was essential to examine the imposition of a Code of Conduct for ministers. Such irresponsible utterances are not just a political or a social problem, it becomes a national problem," Sengupta said.

He said a Code of Conduct for ministers will only 'strengthen the democratic process'.

"Some may argue that ministers are bound by their oath of office and secrecy and that should provide sufficient basis for appropriate conduct. But I would imagine we still need an explicit Code of Conduct for ministers."

BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has pulled up Prime Minister Hasina for 'cleverly dodging' through the Latif Siddique controversy but Sengupta rubbished the charge.

Sengupta pulled up the BNP for not raising the issue politically.

"There is nothing clever in what the prime minister has done. She has referred to the Constitution, Rules of Business and other codes."

Sengupta also appealed to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to restrain her son Tarique Rahman from making 'irresponsible and outlandish statements'.

About the BNP threat for a tough agitation, Sengupta said: "If they go for a tough agitation, people will also get tough in resisting it."

"Instead of agitation, the BNP should concentrate on revamping the party organisation. Or else they will suffer during the next elections."