In 2006 I went to Nepal for a training from the Department of Primary Education. A speaker in the training class said, Bangladesh became the champion of corruption in 2005; That is, from 2001 to 2005, Bangladesh is at the top of the corruption list of TI 5 times. Then I thought, how can I demand honest officials in a country that is champion of corruption 5 times? This is a big shame.
Again in 2019, I went to Harvard University in America for training. Discussions in that training identified corruption as the main cause of project failure. Discussant university professor asked to reveal 10 corrupt countries. I was getting scared, but it turned out that the name of Bangladesh is not in the top 10. As if the honor was saved. That is, corruption affects more or less everyone and the tarnishing of the country’s image touches everyone. On January 10, 1972, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned home, since coming to the country, he has spoken in all the places he has spoken, and he has spoken strongly by highlighting his strong position against corruption, if those statements are discussed in the curriculum and National Day program, Then the desired morality against corruption would be awakened in the minds of everyone including the new officials and corruption would be forced to reduce.
Bangabandhu said in his historic speech to the National Parliament on January 25, 1975, ‘Today we have to talk about corruption. Corruption must be eradicated from the soil of Bengal. Corruption is not done by the farmers of my Bengal. Corruption does not make my Bengal labor. We are an educated society. Those who have studied with their money today. Wherever you go today, you will see corruption – dig our roads – corruption, go to buy food – corruption, go to buy things – corruption, corruption on money if you go abroad. Who are they? We are the 5 percent educated society, we are the most corrupt people in the world.
On March 26, 1975, Bangabandhu said in a public meeting in Suhrawardy Udyan, ‘Who is corrupt today? He who cheats is corrupt. He who takes bribe is corrupt. Whoever smuggles is corrupt. Anyone who does blackmarketing is corrupt. He who hoards is corrupt. Those who do not fulfill their duties are corrupt. Those who act against conscience are also corrupt. Those who sell the country to foreign countries are also corrupt. We have to start our struggle against these corrupt people.’
On June 7, 1972, Bangabandhu said in Suhrawardy Udyan, ‘Brothers of government employees, you should not take bribes. i have people I get all the news. A bribe taker will go to work and go to jail. And thieves, thieves, scoundrels, robbers, beware.’
Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said in his speech on October 8, 1972, on the occasion of the inauguration of the blood storage and new women’s ward of the PG Hospital, ‘I have to say that I am terrified. I rarely see ‘people’ anywhere I want. How can people be so low? How do people take money unfairly from people? I do not understand how people rob the poor. So much blood, 3 million people’s lives, so many martyrs, so many mothers’ cries, so many children’s cries, so many parents’ cries, blood written on the walls, blood signatures on the streets, and if the government employees sit there and eat their money, their lives are stolen. Please tell me, where is the place to say this grief. It cannot be done by law. It needs a change of heart, a change of mind. Humanity needs to be awakened.’
In the same speech, Bangabandhu said, ‘No nation can grow without order. No nation can grow without honesty. You will be cursed. The souls of 3 million people will curse you. You have seen the big leaders of the Muslim League who were comfortable with big houses, one day they were driven out of their homes by curse. If we who are in this country do not change our character, then such a day will come, such a storm will come, in which you will be broken and shattered. ‘
On January 18, 1974, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said in a speech given at the biennial council session of Bangladesh Awami League, ‘But when some people smell the honey and beeswax, they come and gather in Awami League. Looting in the name of Awami League. Try to do business with permit. Workers in Awami League, they should be expelled from Awami League, they have no right to stay in Awami League. So saying, there is a need for self-criticism, today there is a need for self-restraint, today there is a need for self-purification.’
In the same speech, he also said, ‘Who is doing blackmarketing? don’t be angry You are an educated, intelligent, thoughtful, intellectual community, you will not be angry. Who does blackmarketing? Those who have two pens in their stomach do blackmarketing. Who does the smuggling? Those who are studying more do more. Who does the hijacking? Those who are learning more do. They do international smuggling. They are the ones who keep money abroad. We who are educated, we are the ones who feed the people by adulterating intelligent medicine and poisoning them. Surely the village people cannot do this. Surely my farmer brothers cannot. Surely my labor brothers cannot. Those who have more intelligence in their stomachs are black marketeers.’
In conclusion, he firmly said, ‘Just as I fought for freedom by creating public opinion from March 25 to nine months. Likewise, public opinion must be created on the soil of Bengal against the corrupt, bribe takers and exploiters. I believe then corruption will be removed from Bangladesh.’
On January 11, 1975, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said in his speech to the outgoing cadets at the first graduation ceremony at the Military Academy, ‘The poor people who work all day long, have no food in their stomachs, no clothes on their clothes, no housing arrangements, millions of people are unemployed. Pakistanis have robbed us of everything. Nothing was left for any of us except paper. I have to beg for everything from abroad. But the gang of thieves plunders everything, destroys the miserable people. This time I have not only declared a state of emergency. I have promised to eliminate bribe takers, corrupt people, profiteers and smugglers from the soil of Bangladesh.’
In the same speech, Bangabandhu said, ‘A handful of smugglers, profiteers and bribe takers transfer the wealth of the country, increase the price of goods, store food in warehouses and kill people without eating. They should be uprooted from the heart of Bangladesh. I’ll see what they can do. Now it will be proved that the power of the thief is more than the power of the honest man. I have never bowed to injustice. Repeatedly Pakistanis wanted to hang me. But I’ve always stood tall. Because Allah was my helper.’
On January 15, 1975, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said in his inaugural speech on the occasion of the first Police Week at the Rajarbagh Police Line, ‘Pledge in the name of Allah that we will be above corruption.’ Pledge, ‘We will eliminate the corrupt.’ Pledge, ‘We will love the country.’ Those who are corrupt, bribe takers, who kill people in the dark of night, attack the police station, confront you with weapons, oust them from the soil of Bangladesh.’
Bangabandhu has clarified his stand against corruption in various speeches. Corruption is one of the obstacles in establishing his lifelong cherished dream of an exploitation-free Sonar Bangla. Bangabandhu announced the liberation struggle in the Vajrakantha of March 7, there is no alternative to eradicating corruption in order to bring about the meaningful liberation of the people in independent Bangladesh.
[লেখক : চেয়ারম্যান, বাংলাদেশ এনার্জি রেগুলেটরি কমিশন; সাবেক সিনিয়র সচিব, গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ সরকার]
Tags: Bangabandhus position corruption todays Bangladesh Sangbad Online
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