The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dinajpur

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury on Sunday called upon officials and employees of the service sectors to be vigilant so the country's poor people do not become victims of corruption.

"To eliminate corruption from the service and administrative sectors of the country, we all have to take a vow we won't do any corruption, nor allow our family members and subordinates to do so," he said at a discussion titled 'taking initiative to prevent corruption'. Addressing the meeting at Lokbhaban in the town in the morning, the ACC chairman said: "We don't want to see Bangladesh on top of the corruption chart. We'll work for building a corruption-free Bangladesh getting out of the cycle of corruption. And we will start it from Dinajpur."

Indicating a recent TIB report, he mentioned that presently corruption was taking place mostly in the service sectors. "Stern legal action will be taken if we receive any complaint of bribery-related corruption in these sectors within next three months," he said.

Mashhud also announced that the ACC is going to start an anti-corruption campaign within next one month. ACC also reward those who will help the commission in arresting people for taking or giving bribe, he said.

Terming bribe as the root of corruption, he said corruption would decrease to a large extent, if bribery can be stopped.

"If the head of an organization is honest, no officials and employees will dare to resort to corruption," he added.

The ACC chairman urged the government officials to provide the due services to the poor people.

Identifying land, power, education, income tax, LGED, BRTA and health departments as the most corrupt among the service sectors, he said the ACC would take tough action if the departments fail to stop corruption.

Deputy Commissioner M Nabiul Haq Mollah presided over the meeting. ADC (Revenue) M Ashrafuzzaman, Dinajpur Pourasava mayor Shafiqul Haq Chhutu and Civil Surgeon Dr Mizanur Rahman were, among others, present.

Earlier, the ACC chairman visited the District Anti-Corruption Commission office and took part in an anti-corruption rally.