Kishoreganj:Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has voiced strong concerns over three recent incidents, highlighting a resurgence of corruption, irregularities, and impunity. The organization warns that the government may be held accountable for these issues on multiple fronts.
According to United News of Bangladesh, TIB has demanded thorough investigations into each incident and calls for exemplary punishment for those responsible. Media reports indicate that the RADDA MCH-FP Center was looted and vandalized at midnight, allegedly with police presence and the backing of an MP from a reserved seat. Additionally, a dispute within the local BNP over a water body in Kishoreganj led to over fifty injuries, and a content creator's office was vandalized.
TIB describes these incidents as a troubling sign for the government and the ruling party, urging for accountability and a self-purification drive within the party. TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman criticized the looting and vandalism of RADDA MCH-FP, a nonprofit providing healthcare for vulnerable groups for fifty years, as an embarrassing example for the government.
Dr. Iftekharuzzaman questioned the ruling party's example to citizens, given its historic electoral mandate after a violent uprising. He noted that since the fall of the authoritarian kleptocracy in August 2024, BNP leaders have faced allegations of encroachment and extortion, affecting major bus terminals, markets, and other areas.
The Executive Director also highlighted the ongoing internal rivalries and extortion within the party, exacerbated by the government's inaction. He cited a clash over a water body in Kishoreganj and a vandalized creative studio as indicative of a pattern since August 2024.
TIB warns that these issues could overshadow the government's achievements and stresses the need for immediate anti-corruption measures. Failure to act, according to TIB, may result in the government's inability to curb such behavior in the future. The organization notes that misconduct has embarrassed senior party leadership, who have resorted to organizational measures like expulsion, but stronger prevention strategies are needed. TIB also points out that those involved are often linked to the ruling party, limiting law enforcement's effectiveness.