Govt has politicised key public institutions

They said the nation is heading towards a crisis due to failure of the political leadership.

Citing the examples of Kansat and Shanir Akhra, the speakers warned that similar incidents may happen across the country if immediate steps are not taken to contain corruption and bring back good governance in key public institutions.

The seminar titled 'Shaping the future of Bangladesh' was organised by Bangladesh Young Economic Association at the National Press Club in the city with its President AZM Saleh in the chair.

In his keynote speech, Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, president of Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA), said the nation today is beset by some fundamental problems.

"Pervasive corruption, social violence and erosion of people's confidence in key public institutions are some of the fundamental crisis we are facing today," he explained.

Corruption has been so entrenched that even the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), set up over a year ago, has not been given the power to work independently, the BEA president added.

Another stalemate has been created in the Election Commission, which has failed to prepare an acceptable voter list for the next general election, Kholiquzzaman said, adding the chief election commissioner (CEC) and other people responsible for its failure should leave the office and pave the way for others to do the job properly.

ASM Shahjahan, former adviser to caretaker government, said how people can expect a fair poll when the CEC was appointed considering his party loyalty.

"Time has come to set up another commission to identify why the Election Commission is not working properly," he added.

Shahjahan said police and civil administration cannot serve people as they are used for political purpose.

The interest of people is totally ignored and there is serious lack of accountability, he added.

He said there is autocracy in the name of democracy and the prevailing situation indicates that the country has been leased to coalition government for five years.

Shahjahan said people's right to information has been severely ignored and the 'secretariat has become the biggest cold storage in the country'.

Taking part in the discussion, Khandaker Ibrahim Khaled, managing director of Pubali Bank Limited, said all national bodies have been destroyed.

The situation has turned so bad that it has pushed the back of most commoners against the wall, he said citing the example of Kansat.

There is a serious vacuum in the political leadership and that's why it has become imperative to launch awareness programme to awake people, Ibrahim added.

There is no planning, he said, adding the economy is growing but it is not growing equitably.

Ataus Samad, advisory editor of Amar Desh, said electoral reforms discussion between the ruling coalition and the opposition combine should take place in parliament immediately as the proposed committee has not been formed yet.