Outrage in parliament over bureaucratic corruption, calls for tighter control

Referring to the goat scandal involving the son of an NBR official, Hanif says there are thousands of such officials

Two ruling Awami League lawmakers have raised concerns about corruption by government officials.

Joint General Secretary and Kushtia-3 MP Mahbub-Ul Alam Hanif, along with Lalmonirhat-1 MP and former state minister Motahar Hossain, expressed frustrations in parliament that politicians are held accountable even when not involved.

Their statements on Tuesday during the discussion on the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 also highlighted instances of houses and cars acquired through bureaucratic corruption.

"Corruption is overshadowing all the government's achievements. Despite the zero-tolerance policy, corruption remains uncontrolled. This has led to market instability and rising commodity prices. Without addressing corruption, market control is impossible," observed Hanif.

"Recently, two incidents have sparked nationwide discussion. A cow was sold for Tk 10 million. Who bought it and why? Such purchases are impossible with legitimate income; only those with illegal earnings can afford them.

“Similarly, a goat was bought for Tk 1.5 million. This is only possible for those with illicit income. Controlling corruption is essential for market stability."

Hanif said: "Government employees have received increased salaries and improved benefits. So, why does corruption persist? Whenever corruption is mentioned, politicians are immediately blamed. While politicians are implicated in corruption, it's widespread across the country. However, among MPs, only ministers have executive power. How can others [MPs] engage in corruption?"

He continued: "Corruption may occur in government’s development work and procurement, but where is the opportunity for politicians if government officials are not involved? In 2018, the public administration revealed corruption allegations against 1,000 officers and employees.”

Referring to the goat scandal involving the son of top NBR official Matiur Rahman, Hanif said there are thousands of such officials.

"Regulations around corruption have been made more lenient and relaxed. Officials can often keep their jobs with only nominal penalties."

Hanif said: "If there's a criminal case against national-level politicians, no permission is needed to arrest them. However, for similar cases against government officials, arresting them requires approval from higher authorities.”

The Public Service Act, 2018 has encouraged officials and employees to engage in corruption, he said.

He continued: "Government employees are not dismissed from service if they receive a punishment of less than one year. They are merely reprimanded and subjected to departmental punishment, which is not conducive to good governance.

“In contrast, local representatives can be dismissed immediately. The Anti-Corruption Commission faces obstacles in holding officials accountable due to this law, effectively making it a criminal protection act."

Hanif urged for a review of the law.

The Kushtia-3 constituency MP said: "To combat corruption, we must first curb excessive consumption. Each month, special teams should visit registry offices, car showrooms, and jewellery shops to obtain lists of those registering land, houses, or apartments, and verify their legitimate sources of income. Similarly, car and jewellery shops should provide lists of their customers' legitimate income sources. This approach would deter illegal income earners from indulging in luxury."

He also said: "Before elections, politicians must submit an affidavit detailing all their assets, but government officials aren't required to do this. I propose to make affidavits mandatory at the time of recruitment, and then every five years or upon promotion, so that the public can be informed about the extent of their property."

He also criticised the option to legalise black money with a 15 percent tax in the proposed budget.

MP Motahar, discussing the abundance of cars and houses owned by bureaucrats, said: "We are facing a dire situation today. When I served as Upazila chairman in 1985, Hatibandha had 10 unions. By 1987, I conducted a survey and assessed the ownership of houses within the unions. I found that 92 percent of these houses belonged to government officials.

“This situation persists today with numerous properties and extensive land holdings. Despite our intelligence, we failed to recognise this issue. It's a case of the keeper becoming the eater—everything is under their control."