𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 ‘𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐓𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞’ 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 ‘𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐓𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞’ 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬
Hiren Pandit
The government’s activities are moving forward with the policy of ‘Zero Tolerance’ against corruption and irregularities. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is in a tough position in this regard. Under her direction, a comprehensive anti-corruption campaign is underway across the country. No matter how influential and close to the government or the ruling party, no criminal is exempt. The government and the party are reluctant to take responsibility for anyone’s crime. This tough stance of the government is being appreciated by all including the affluent society.
The Prime Minister’s recent speeches and statements also reflect the ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy against irregularities and corruption. Action is being taken against those involved in corruption and irregularities. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been annoyed by one irregularity after another, especially in the health sector. She emphasized the need to tackle the global epidemic of coronavirus and crack-down on corruption. Several party leaders and people’s representatives were also accused of irregularities and corruption in the distribution of relief in different parts of the country.
Various disciplinary measures have also been taken against some of the strikers in the health sector for corruption during the COVID-19 period. The government has also given a stern message by immediately dismissing the people’s representatives against whom allegations have been made during the relief operations in Corona. Many have also been arrested. Most of these people’s representatives were elected from the Awami League.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already taken such a strong stand against corruption and irregularities. Especially since she came to power in the current term, she has been trying to implement the promise of establishing ‘Bangladesh a country of good governance free from corruption in the election manifesto. She also reflected such a policy between the government and the party. The anti-corruption drive intensified at the command of the Prime Minister, along with the earlier anti-terrorism and anti-drug campaigns. We know that the Prime Minister has the goodwill and sincerity to curb irregularities and corruption. However, to prevent such corruption and irregularities in advance, the concerned institutions including the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) should be active in this regard. Their surveillance needs to be more stringent. No matter how influential the person involved in corruption and irregularities is, the Prime Minister will not give concessions to anyone, this is everyone’s expectation.
The Prime Minister said corruption-free administration and good governance are very important to build a poverty-free Bangladesh. She directed the officials to take stern action against corruption. She said that the salaries, allowances, and other benefits of government officials and employees have been increased, so it is advisable not to be corrupt now. There is no doubt that if a corruption-free society is formed where the country is located, that position will rise much higher very soon.

Everyone believes that if the Zero Tolerance policy against corruption is implemented, Bangladesh will be able to be included in the list of developed countries once all the shame is removed. No one can deny that the government has made a lot of progress in the last 12 years. But it is also true that the image of the government on the issue of irregularities and corruption in the last 10 years is good, but it needed to be better.
Government officials and employees will show respect to the aspirations of the people to build a corruption-free country motivated by patriotism and will remain firmly committed against corruption and irregularities. That is everyone’s expectation.
The National Integrity Strategy has been formulated and has been adopted as a national strategy-document in establishing good governance through the acquisition of character integrity or purity and suppression of corruption. The activities to be undertaken for the proper implementation of institutional laws and regulations, systematic reform and development, capacity building, and establishing the character integrity of all concerned in the organization have been identified.
To build a happy and prosperous Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal), the successful implementation of Vision 2021 requires the implementation of the National Integrity Strategy for the effective establishment of justice, integrity, successful prevention of corruption, and establishment of integrated good governance in the state and its institutions and society. Certainly, in terms of society, state, justice, and transparency, such financial transactions can be not only corruption but also a breeding ground for corruption.
To make the anti-corruption campaign a success, public and private initiatives have to be utilized simultaneously. However, one of the prerequisites for achieving this difficult goal is to create public awareness about corruption. If organized and coordinated efforts are made to create awareness about the evils of corruption in the individual, society, and state life and the public interest, then the country will move forward.