NN Online:
The interim government on Sunday reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring “justice and accountability” for the wrongdoings of the past 15 years, emphasising the alarming findings from the “White Paper” committee’s investigation, which highlighted the state of the economy under Sheikh Hasina’s rule.
“It remains a top priority to establish justice and accountability for what happened over the last 15 years. They (committee) carried out a postmortem of the development narrative presenting a horrific picture,” Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters at Foreign Service Academy in the evening.
He said the 400-page report will hopefully generate huge discussions and debates, leading to more information regarding “industrial-scale” stealing and misuse of taxpayers’ money.
“I hope it will be a very comprehensive report highlighting all aspects,” said the press secretary, adding that they will continue to maintain transparency fully.
Alam said no body will be spared who were involved in looting public money as the law will take its own course.
An average of $16 billion were illicitly siphoned off from Bangladesh every year during Sheikh Hasina’s “corrupt autocracy,” leaving the country in a “state of plunder” when she fled after a popular mass uprising, the White Paper on the state of the economy during her rule said on Sunday.
The committee submitted its report to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at his Tejgaon office, saying they were horrified by the level of corruption, plunder and statistical manipulation conducted by Hasina’s regime.
Eminent economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, the chair of the committee, led the delegation while submitting the report at a ceremony held at the CA’s office.
Press Secretary Alam said the report is based on available data and there is opportunity to update some areas by incorporating the central bank’s additional data.
“Don’t worry. You will get a full picture,” he assured a questioner, referring to a forthcoming press conference by the committee head.
On the market situation, the press secretary said their efforts are there to bring down the prices of essential commodities under people’s purchasing capacity.
He said the government is holding a series of meetings and is talking to all stakeholders to address the issues.
Deputy Press Secretaries Apurba Jahangir and Abul Kalam Azad Majumder were also present.
