Cycle of corruption in Bangladesh

by Gopal Sengupta
February 16, 2012

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/2120/cycle-of-corruption-in-bangladesh

The cycle of corruption in Bangladesh is unique. Past governments used to bring charges of corruption against opposition political party leaders, who were the predecessors on the ruling chairs, instead of any person in power. Bringing corruption charges against the predecessors by the successors had double significance for both the ruling party politicians and bureaucrats.

For ruling party politicians, the game of corruption was very important for making money and establishing political power. For instance, the ruling party leaders used to insist that bureaucrats show and explain the corruption of past government leaders. On the one hand, the bureaucrats, who made efforts to ensure corruption of past regimes, become truly loyal to the new masters by drawing the picture of corruption of their previous masters. On the other hand, they informed their previous masters about the attempts of the new government to unearth their (previous government) corruption profiles and actions that would lead to disclosure and prosecution.

Politicians, who perceive themselves as icons of power and enjoy tremendous honor in the society spend sleepless nights to save their 'image', irrespective of whether people hate or respect them. Hence, they try to find ways to stop any legal proceedings regarding corruption charges against them. However, the bureaucrats turn out to be saviours' for both parties and acting as arbitrators settle issues for both groups. While the opposition leaders are saved from corruption charges, the ruling party leaders earn money in the process. This process ensures that files related to corruption are shelved unless a further outcry is raised against the government. Such moneymaking mechanisms have become a tool for the political elite to mow down the voice of counterparts. In addition, the snail-paced approach of Bangladeshi courts dealing with corruption cases has only aided political leaders to stop such proceedings against them by offering bribes - again, money earned through corrupt means.

Corrupt bureaucrats have never been charged by any of the governments so far. Instead, they have always remained in safe zones convincing rulers that governmental organs can remain 'balanced' by not trying such bureaucrats. Such two-way gratitude has only increased corruption, especially where such dealings have ensued lucrative financial gains while corruption charges have been conveniently buried. This is quite abnormal in the Bangladeshi culture of judiciary. While homicides or robbery cases take around five to ten years for a justifiable verdict, such "typhoon trials" cause questions in the minds of the public on the sustainability of fighting corruption, especially in a system and within institutions that are both corrupt. On the other hand, the Prime Minister against the backdrop of wave after wave of extortionist surges, unabashedly scripted by her party cadres has cautioned all about the consequences of corruption. Our nation has lost count of the exhortations that she has made to the wayward students, often accompanied by stern warnings, including even suspension of old student committees and their reorganisation. The outcome of all these however, in public perception, has been a big zero. Beginning with hall capture and asserting tutelage over academic institutions, their activities invariably degenerated into tender business, toll collection and what have you! If anything, these have only increased.

The general impression therefore is that without the ruling party leaders' indulgence, such students couldn't have done these things with the impunity they have mastered. The result is that the counsel from no less a person than the PM tends to lose authority and credibility. The situation is clearly beyond reforming through words; what is needed is summoning enough political will to distance the ruling party from those in the student front of the ruling party that are playing havoc with not only the image of that student organisation but also that of the government. The wrong-doers should not get refuge in any quarters; instead, they should be weeded out and punished. People in power tend to be insulated from the darker side of ground realities and a deteriorating scenario may then translate into a steady lack of popularity.

No nation, ancient or modern, ever lost the liberty of freely speaking, writing, or publishing their sentiments, but forthwith lost their liberty in general and became slaves. Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.

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