The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Outgoing British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury Sunday said human rights of the corruption suspects being prosecuted and charged should be respected and people should be treated fairly and transparently.

As there has been a purge underway in Bangladesh in the interim period against serious crime and corruption, he emphasized the need for following due process. The suspects should be treated fairly and transparently and there must be transparency in the cases against them, he said.

"What we have said on this issue is that, no matter who is being prosecuted, who is being charged, their human rights are observed. People are treated fairly and transparently," Anwar said in reply to a question regarding respecting human rights of the corruption suspects-many of whom are high-profile persons like past rulers and bureaucrats.

He was talking to the reporters after making a farewell call on Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Lt. General (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury and other Commissioners. "There must be transparency in these cases and there must be due process. That has been our position right from the beginning," the British High Commissioner added.

Echoing British Foreign Minister David Miliband, who recently visited Bangladesh, he said the approach must be without fear or favour. Asked if all he mentioned are being followed by the ACC, Anwar said that is not for him to comment, rather that is for the Bangladeshi people to comment.

About cooperation between Scotland Yard and the Commission in bringing back the siphoned-off money, he said the London police headquarters is cooperating with the anti-graft body so that the money siphoned off to his country could be brought back to Bangladesh.

On the performance of the reconstituted Commission, the Bangladeshi-origin British diplomat lauded its efforts, saying that the anti-graft body has been extremely active and they have been going around trying to change people's hearts and minds on corruption.

"They have been obviously very active in terms of pursuing cases and it's certainly a very different Anti-Corruption Commission than the one that existed before," he added.

Anwar said according to the feedback from the people the reconstituted Commission seems to be doing a good job. During the visit today to the ACC, he said he was shown the transformation of the ACC in terms of new facilities brought in with the financial aid from the Department for International Development (DFID).

The outgoing British High Commissioner said with the transformation the Commission looks like a modern outfit.

He was also updated by the Commission as to how many cases there are under process and how many are in courts.

DFID country chief Chris Austin accompanied the High Commissioner.