Dhaka, Jan 30 (UNB) – Rejecting the report of Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB), Information Minister Hasan Mahmud on Wednesday said the report is faulty and politically motivated.
The minister came up with the remarks while talking to reporters at the secretariat on the TIB report.
According to the TIB report unveiled on Tuesday, Bangladesh ranks second most corrupt country in South Asia while 149 in the world, the 13th from the bottom.
“The method the TIB followed in preparing the graft index was faulty. They didn’t make it clear which method they followed. That means their methodology is faulty,” he said.
“If there’s any specific allegation, I would like to request TIB to inform the government and the Anti-Corruption Commission. The government will take action,” said the minister.
Responding to a question whether they will reject the report, he said, “Definitely… it’s a motivated report.”
Replying to a question the minister said, “The ACC has already sought explanation from them over the report. I’ll also ask TIB to tell ACC on which information they made the report.”
He said earlier TIB published another report ahead of the general election to implement BNP’s agenda. “There was 80 percent similarity of their report with the allegations of BNP. So, it’s clear that they want to implement the agenda of a specific political party.”
Hasan Mahmud said TIB also raised voice that there had been corruption in Padma Bridge project and then the World Bank stopped financing the project. However, the allegation was proved wrong later, he said.
The World Bank filed a case with the court of Canada where it was defeated, he said adding, “We thought TIB would seek mercy from the nation after their defeat, but they didn’t,” said the minister.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced zero tolerance against corruption. When Bangladesh is being praised globally and by the World Bank for curbing corruption at that moment TIB has published a faulty report to defame the country’s people.”
