Combating corruption
Faruk Ahmed, Asian Institute of Technology Thailand
The anti-corruption drive by the caretaker government (CTG) is not limited to the corrupt politicians but has also been extended to corrupt industrialists and government officers, however, on a small scale. Although corruption across the government sectors, politics and business are interlinked, a corrupt government officer is more dangerous and harmful to the people than anyone. The recent news on the former Chinese head of food and drugs agency, Zheng Xiaoyu, who has been sentenced to death for corruption, has revealed how dangerous a corrupt government servant can be to the state and its people. Because of Zheng's corruption, dozens (including babies) died in China from fake or bad drugs and food products. Moreover, Chinese foods and drugs lost international market significantly. I am surprised to see one crore Taka in cash at a forest officer's house. I imagine the way this amount was received probably massive deforestation was done through illegal logging in our Sundarbans and elsewhere I am unable to imagine any other source of this big money for a forest officer. Does he know how serious harm he has done consciously to the country? The CTG is yet to touch the roots of corruption. Detaining corrupt politicians and industrialists has presented a positive view of the CTG to the people, but it is not enough to eliminate or even reduce corruption significantly I believe. Besides politicians and industrialists, a massive anti-corruption drive must be launched against government officers especially at the senior level.
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