Mahmudur Rahman Manna, convener of Nagorik Oikya (Citizens’ unity) would observe sit-in at the ‘Shikha Chirantan’ (eternal flame) the Suhrawardy Uddayan in Dhaka city on Thursday November 27 to drum up support to the movement to say ‘No’ to corruption.
He has urged all to join the sii-in and strengthen the movement against corruption that is obstructing progress and undermining national achievements. ‘Unbriddled corruption and plunder is the big obstacle to our socio-economic transformation,” Manna said at an opinion exchange meeting with journalists in the city on Saturday.The share market is being destroyed repeatedly because of unchecked corruption and plunder. More than Taka 2000 billion has been looted only during the Awami League regime, pauperising at least three million. People affected would cross 16 million and at least 37 persons have committed suicide, he said.
The banking sector which is the life-blood of the economy has turned unreliable because of corruption and Take 430 billion is looted from the banks every year.
Flight of capital has not stopped even 43 years after the independence of the country. In the last one decade Taka 16.7 billion has been siphoned away for different purposes including the ‘second home project’ in Malaysia. In 2013 deposits of Bangladeshis with Swiss Banks have increased 62 percent by Taka 13 billion to Taka 32.3 billion.
Mahmudur Rahman Manna said, public life has been shattered by corruption in the energy and power sector. Despite increase of tariff again and again, load shedding continues to put people into darkness. Government has to pay Taka 180 billion subsidy a year in the name of quick-rental power, he said.
The unbearable traffic jam in the capital that seriously affects life of the citizens is also mainly due to corruption. The Hanif flyover has cost Taka 2.13 billion a kilometre as against Taka 480 million in Kolkata. There has been endless sufferings due to corruption and neglect of duty centring on the Moghbazar Flyover.
Corruption has engulfed also the education sector. Leakage of question papers, hybrid results of examinations, admission business, politicisation, indiscipline and terrorism have poisoned the campus atmosphere. There is no dearth of bribery and corruption in the health sector. There is not a single area in the society where the reign of corruption has not been established, he said.
Noting the lack of effective action against corruption, Manna said there is no alternative but to build social resistance against corruption. Say ‘No’ to corruption and join the social resistance against corruption, Manna said. – Staff Reporter
