Bangladesh Law Minister Shafique Ahmed calls corruption a disease

Law Minister Shafique Ahmed has said the country could build the Padma bridge alone if corruption could be checked.

Corruption as a disease in the developing countries like Bangladesh, the minister said at a roundtable in the city’s Jatiya Press Club.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) organised the roundtable styled “The progress made by Bangladesh in implementing the United Nations Convention against corruption”.

Regarding black money, he said, “People those who earned black money through bribery and other unfair means will not get rid of legal tangle through paying tax. ACC [Anti-Corruption Commission] can always proceed against them.”

“But the person failing to pay tax in time and their money having consequently turned black money, will get respite from legal action after paying government fixed tax,” he said.

TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman who moderated the roundtable said for implementing the convention it needs national unity including ruling and opposition parities.

TIB Trusty Board Chairman Sultanan Kamal who presided over the programme said due to lack of accountability, corruption is spreading fast.