Staff Reporter :
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has urged the government to ensure accountability for high-level abuses of power and release a corruption whitepaper.
This call comes in response to recent exposures of significant power abuses, including the killing of a ruling party MP, U.S. visa sanctions against a former army chief, and a court order to seize the bank accounts and assets of a retired Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police chief.
TIB emphasized that these actions are crucial for demonstrating the government’s commitment to its zero-tolerance policy against corruption. In a statement, TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman referred to the corruption allegations involving the former army chief, police and RAB chiefs, and the MP’s killing.
He warned, “If the government and the ruling party only offer evasive explanations out of embarrassment, it will not only be unacceptable to the people but also be suicidal for the government.”
Dr. Iftekharuzzaman added, “The citizens of this country are already realizing that these highly publicized incidents are not isolated; they are symptomatic of deep-seated institutionalized corruption and represent just the tip of the iceberg. The responsibility for these crimes extends beyond those directly involved.
Unless, together with the direct perpetrators, those who aid, abet, benefit from, and protect them are held accountable, the government’s election promises will be deemed as empty rhetoric, and corruption and wrongdoing will continue to proliferate further.”
TIB called for holding high-level power abusers accountable through due process and urged the release of a corruption whitepaper. Dr. Iftekharuzzaman stated, “The unaccountable actions of former heads of significant state forces such as the Army, RAB, and the Police, along with a lawmaker, have instilled doubts and concerns about the government, the state system, and the governance structure in the public’s mind. These concerns need to be credibly addressed through exemplary accountability.”
He further opined, “The promptness exhibited by relevant institutions, including the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), should not eventually diminish to mere formalities and eyewash.”
TIB highlighted that the ruling party’s successive political declarations and pledges against corruption are evident in their election manifesto for the 12th National Parliamentary Election.
Reminding the ruling party of its commitment, TIB stated, “This year’s manifesto includes a chapter-long commitment with six sections dedicated to ensuring accountable governance and more than a dozen specific commitments aimed at preventing and controlling corruption. However, there is no strategy or roadmap for implementing these grand promises.”
TIB concluded by urging the establishment of short, medium, and long-term strategies and roadmaps to ensure good governance and prevent corruption.
The organization emphasized that the government and the ruling party must disclose the existing nature of high-level power abuse—a fundamental element to all three cases—and publish a whitepaper on corruption across institutions and sectors.