Government and country’s image damaged by three incidents

It is unfortunate that the names of two former chiefs of two forces of the country have cropped in the three recent incidents. The allegations of corruption that have been brought up against the former police chief Benazir Ahmed, are extensive.

The amount of wealth amassed by this former police chief as reported in the media, is unimaginable. How has a government official become the owner of so much wealth! It is clear that he made this wealth while in service, not after retirement. Does that mean the authorities had their eyes closed? He (Benazir Ahmed) used the government to do all this. The government used him too.

The United States has imposed sanctions under Section 7032 (C) of the relevant law, against former army chief General Aziz Ahmed (retd). The section of the law uses the term ‘kleptocracy’. This means that there is scope for corruption in politics and the society. He availed this scope to join the ranks of the corrupt. If action had been taken when the Qatar-based media outlet Al-Jazeera aired a documentary on this former army chief, perhaps things wouldn’t have gone so far. There is no point in criticizing him now after the sanctions have been imposed.

The government must also bear liability for this incident. But the institutions which they headed, are not responsible for these incidents. After all, they would run the institutions when they were the chiefs. So the incidents are of their personal doing.

Allegations of smuggling have arisen centering the killing of the member of parliament Anwarul Azim in Kolkata. Actually the post of parliamentarian has been made so lucrative, that the situation is steadily deteriorating. I will not name any one particular party. All parties have liability to this end. Questions must be raised as to how thoroughly candidates for the election are scritinised before being given nomination.

Awami League argues that nomination is given on the basis of popularity. That argument does not hold. The situation has reached a point where it seems all political parties have become bankrupt. Ethics plays no role in the selection of candidates. That is why situations emerge where allegations of smuggling arise on the killing of an MP. Everyone has liability in this regard.

I feel these incidents have damaged the image of the government, the country and the institutions. No way can the responsibility of these incidents be evaded.

* M Sakhawat Hossain is a former election commissioner