Although ministers and MPs from the ruling Awami League have been criticising the reports of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Jatiya Party Chairman and Forest Minister Anwar Hossain Manju has said he appreciates it.
“The government needs to accept criticism to ensure transparency and accountability,” he said on Wednesday.
Manju was speaking at a discussion hosted by TIB on good governance in climate change funding.
“Those who cannot accept criticism aren’t working properly,” he said.
The minister expressed his contentment with TIB’s work, saying, “Criticism is important. But we cannot accept criticism because we are unaccustomed to it. It’s unlikely that the people who can’t accept criticism will be able to run anything properly.”
He told TIB officials to “keep an eye on the government” and come up with criticism and dialogue.
The minister said he believed criticism would ensure the government’s transparency and accountability.
“We need a check and balance. For that I thank TIB wholeheartedly. Many of us criticise TIB and demand that their reports be withdrawn. I’ll never do that,” he added.
The forest minister said he was able to handle criticism because he “listened to his conscience” in his work.
“I am here to understand how you’ll attack our ministry and dissect our work. I’m not afraid of criticism because we follow our conscience in our work,” he said.
The minister said climate change risk funds were allocated on need-based priorities. He welcomed TIB’s working paper on climate change fund.
Manju spoke about his long experience in the government and said he was trying to dissociate his ministry “as much as possible” from the corruption and irregularities that the people were concerned about.
“A person or even a ministry cannot do this alone,” he added.
The minister hoped that the government’s fund to tackle adverse impacts of climate change would grow in volume soon.
“The prime minister formed the trust fund with our own funds. Bangabandhu did something similar, the Food for Work programme. He started that with state funds, and then aid poured in. This is important. People who will pay will want to see our intention first,” he said.
He called on everyone to have faith on politicians.
“How will someone from Denmark or Netherlands understand better the problem than me? We’ve been doing this for 30-35 years – there’s no need to lose hope. There have been a lot of changes in every sector since 1972-73,” he said.
TIB trustee board Chair Sultana Kamal and Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman were present among others.
Source: Bd news24
