Eminent economist Prof Rehman Sobhan on Monday suggested earmarking a ‘democracy fund’ in the upcoming national budget for election expenditures to keep the national election out of the traditional money game.
“If a democracy fund could be introduced in the national budget to manage election costs, I think, the money game will be stopped ahead of any national election,” he told a seminar in the city.
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) organised the seminar, titled ‘Political will can only play the key role in combating corruption’, at its auditorium in the afternoon, marking the Prevention of Corruption Week.
Speaking as the chief guest, Rehman Sohban, also the chairman of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said money is the key player in politics now and politics has emerged as an ‘investment sector’.
“Politicians invest millions of Taka in parliamentary polls and they take back the money with interest after being elected,” he said.
The CPD chairman said if the election expenditure of these people who want to join polls having the option for the ‘democracy fund’ in the national budget could be managed, the money game in polls will come to an end and thus politics will get rid of corruption.
Referring to Anna Hazari’s anti-corruption movement in India, Rehman Sohban said such a movement could also be waged in Bangladesh.
He urged the young generation to forge a strong movement against graft like in India to build a nation free from corruption.
Rehman Sobhan said the revered people who have the higher standing in society will have to stand against corruption and take part in various programmes to bring transparency in various social activities.
Vice Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Prof Dr Syed Anwar Hossain read out the keynote paper at the seminar.
Chaired by ACC chairman Ghulam Rahman, the seminar was addressed, among others, by former advisers to caretaker government Dr Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Rasheda K Chowdhury, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Dr Iftekharuzzaman, former Education Minister Dr Osman Faruk, president of Communist Party of Bangladesh Mujahidul Islam Selim, Advocate Fazlee Rabbi Miah, Advocate Rahmat Ullah, MP, Tarana Halim, MP, and chief information commissioner Mohammad Faruk.
Source: UNB Connect