Roundtable Discussion on IACC
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) organized a roundtable discussion on the proposed independent Anti-Corruption commission on 9 September at the CIRDAP auditorium in the city. The roundtable was addressed by a good number of intellectuals, bureaucrats, civil society representatives, political leaders, lawyers, journalists and people from other strata of society.
Chaired by Professor Muzaffer Ahmad, Member of the TIB Trustee Board, former Chief Justice Mostafa Kamal said the country would have no need of setting up an Anti-Corruption Commission had the parliamentary system been effective. "The public accounts committee is enough to curb corruption. But it is our collective failure that the country has had no effective Parliament since 1935," he said.
The roundtable was also addressed by eminent lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain, noted economist Prof Rehman Sobhan, Suranjit Sengupta MP, Caretaker Government Advisors M. Hafiz Uddin Khan, S M Shahjahan and Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury Dr Kazi Kholiquzzaman, president of Bangladesh Economics Association, renowned economist Dr Atiur Rahman, Prof M M Akash of Dhaka University, Dr. Mohabbat Khan member of Public Service Commission, Legal experts Dr. Shahdeen Malik, and Dr Asif Nazrul, former lawmaker Tasmima Hossain, former Comptroller and Auditor General Syed Yusuf Hossain, former Principal Secretary S.A. Samad, journalists Mr. Muhammad Jahangir and Muzzamel Hossain, former DG of Bureau of Anti Corruption M Badiuzzaman, Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, among others. Programme Officer of TIB Ekram Hossain presented a paper on its views on behalf of the organization.
TIB said its views that the much-awaited bill aimed at establishing an Independent Anti-Corruption Commission in the country was placed in the Parliament on 10 July 2003. It is now in the public domain and awaiting passage into law. Considering its critical importance to governance and development of the country, it is imperative to take a hard look at the proposed bill..The mass media of the country, gave wide coverage to TIB's roundtable discussion. Editorials were published on the subsequent days in leading newspapers.
People's Theatre
TIB & CCC Kishoreganj organized two performances of the people's theatre play Relief on 3 September at Rangmahal cinema hall premises and at Rail station of Kishoreganj. Staged by the Nalitabari People's Theatre Group of TIB, this play depicted the irregularities, mismanagement and corruption in relief distribution in the country. An audience of around fifteen hundred spectators enjoyed the two shows.
TIB & CCC Mymensingh organized two performances of the peoples theatre play Lal Sabujer Deshey on 7 and 9 September at Gandrapa and Sutiakhali of Mymensingh. Over a thousand spectators belonging to various classes and professions were present during the two shows.
Advocacy Meting
An advocacy meeting with the Upazilla Education Committee was arranged by Nalitabari CCC at its office on 11 September for discussing corruption in primary education. Convenor of CCC M A Hakam Hira presided over the meeting. Headmasters and teachers of primary schools, CCC members and upazilla education officials were present at the meeting.
Study Circle
TIB has formed two new study circles at Modhupur of Mymensingh. Each group consists of thirteen members who represent the cross section of people of the locality. Two orientation ceremonies were held in this week. Md. Mozammel Hoque and Md. Azmat Ali facilitated each group discussion.
Inauguration Meeting of Volunteers
An inauguration meeting of Jamalpur volunteers group was held on 14 September at CCC office. Adv. Mohammad Nazrul Islam (Dulu) presided over the meeting. It was addressed by CCC members Prof. Ansar Ali, Sukumar Chowdhury, Adv. Shamima Khan, Adv. Shameem Ara Begum, journalist Mostofa Monju and Programme Officer of TIB Ekram Hossain, among others.
