"Both ruling and opposition political parties should ensure that nobody with a background of corruption finds any place within their fold," Lt General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, the NCC coordinator, said.

He was speaking as the special guest at a seminar on 'Sharing the Anti-Corruption Experience' organised by Probe news magazine at the Jatiya Press Club.

The corrupt people irrespective of their status, identity and political affiliation must be brought to justice without favour or fear, Masud said adding that these steps require reforms within the political parties and in the Election Commission (EC).

The NCC coordinator suggested opening monitoring units in ministries and departments to look for media and other related reports on corruption and take actions accordingly. A central monitoring unit could also be established to ensure that the individual ministries and departments function effectively, he noted.

"Side by side, the executives have a key role to play. They need to be honest, committed and determined," Masud, also the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, said stressing the need for a neutral Public Service Commission and transparent public recruitment system.

He said that a truly independent Anti-Corruption Commission, effective anti-corruption laws and empowered local government, free media and participation of civil society are imperative to check corruption.

Emphasising the right of access to information to guarantee transparency in public services, the NCC coordinator said, "It is the high time for Bangladesh to formulate a Right to Information Act."

Key challenge in fighting corruption is its link with power, he said sharing his experience. "Whatever sector of the government or society we have stepped in, corruption cases and practices unfolded."

Laundering thousands of crores of taka illegally, acquiring assets including luxurious apartments, businesses in foreign countries justify the reason "why even 36 years after independence we remained the poorest of the poor as a nation and topped the TI (Transparency International) list consecutively."

Masud also mentioned a number of legal and procedural limitations in the ACC act for dealing with high profile offenders.

"We are facing difficulties in getting information and recovering such wealth," the NCC coordinator said adding that by successfully punishing a few of the corrupt individuals, examples will be set that no one is above the law.

The government is firmly moving towards the goal of holding a free and fair election by 2008, he added.

Dhaka University Professor Mahbubullah said, "We must sustain the drive against corruption and institutionalise it. The drive should not create any panic, rather should continue taking people's confidence in it."

He suggested that donations to the political parties should be stopped by introducing a system through which the government will fund the parties. Through this system, funds might be collected from others through persuasion, not coercion. The parties should have vouchers and annual audits to ensure transparency in them, Prof Mahbub noted.

Economist Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman said the present anti-corruption drive has broken the culture of impunity. He said that illegal money recovered could be used for social activities for creating awareness among people about corruption.

Lt Gen (retd) SM Ibrahim said a mechanism should be created so that the anti-corruption drive becomes natural where no external forces can push the government or other constitutional bodies for it.

Sharing Pakistan's experience, renowned Pakistani columnist Ikram Sehgal said catching the big fishes and creating examples for the lower level leaders is very important.

Stressing the need for specific agenda of the caretaker government, he asked the armed forces not to be involved in the political process.

South East University Vice Chancellor Professor Shamsher Ali and Probe magazine Chief Editor Irtiza Nasim Ali also spoke at the seminar moderated by its Editor Ayesha Kabir.