Corruption

School children in the US were getting new athletic uniforms, had heard about Bangladesh, and wanted to donate the old uniforms to young people here. They raised the money for postage and sent them for our National NGO-The Institute of Integrated Rural Development (HRD)-to distribute free of cost among the young people of the five upazilas where we work (it may be mentioned that all 5 have BNP MPs).

Eight large boxes arrived at the GPO some unspecified time ago; through initiative of the NGO workers, we learned that the boxes had arrived at the GPO. Three workers went to pick them up on 11.10.05. The officer opened one box. He told the workers that they would have to pay about Tk. 20,000 in customs taxes. When the workers mentioned that they were old clothes and donated, he rudely behaved with them. He took two uniform sets. He would not give any documentation to show that the tax claim he made was as per the rules of the government.

The Honourable Prime Minister rightly mentioned on 10.10.05 that her government had not done enough to curb corruption. The officer gave proof of that the very next day. In addition, he has shown that he can behave towards fellow citizens as rudely as he wants.

Is there no one to whom to appeal?