Utfal Barua, Sylhet
White Paper Preparation Committee member and prominent economist Professor Dr. AK Enamul Haque has commented that corruption worth Tk 7,000 crore occurred in the development budget alone from 2010 to 2023 during the Awami League era.
He made these comments at a civic dialogue on reform, national unity and thought organized by Sylhet Press Club, a memorial organization for 100 years of journalism in Sylhet, on Saturday. At the event organized at the Kabi Nazrul Auditorium in Rikabi Bazar in the city, he also said that 17 lakh crore taka was spent on the development budget from 2010 to 2023-24 sessions. Out of this, 7 thousand lakh crore taka was corruption. This money has gone somewhere or the other. This money has not only gone to politicians; the share of government bureaucrats is even higher. In this context, he also said that earlier people used to take bribes under the table. But, in the last 15 years, the table has been removed for bribes.
Chaired by Sylhet Press Club President Ikramul Kabir and moderated by General Secretary Mohammad Sirajul Islam, the keynote address was presented by Professor Dr. Kamal Ahmed Chowdhury, former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology.
The citizens' dialogue was attended by Sylhet District BNP President Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury, Metropolitan Jamaat Ameer Mohammad Fakhrul Islam, former President of Sylhet District Bar Association Emad Ullah Shahidul Islam Shaheen, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration of Leading University Professor Dr. Bashir Ahmed Bhuiyan, former President of Sylhet Press Club Iqbal Siddiqui, Acting President of Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry Faiz Hasan Ferdous, Central Organizing Secretary of Islamic Movement Advocate Mahmudul Hasan, Supreme Court Lawyer Barrister Faiz Ahmed, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement
Coordinator Delwar Hossain Shishir, Coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Teachers Alliance Professor Farid Ahmed, Sohel Ahmed, brother of Shaheed Mostaq Ahmed of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Samia Begum Chowdhury, President of Women for Women's Rights, Nijhum Sangma, Deacon of the Sylhet Presbyterian Church Institute, Shah Md. Nazrul Islam, Deputy Director of the Imam Training Academy Sylhet, among others.
The chief guest also said at the event, when talking about the country's education, I doubt whether there is a consensus on cheating. Because fathers buy exam questions and give them to their sons. This is the current situation of our country. What to do in such a situation? He said, when we worked in the White Paper Committee, we had a lot of experience. During my work, I did not find anyone who said that he was responsible for corruption. Everyone just said that the people above were responsible. So no one is willing to take responsibility. Even if there are good votes, the country will not be better, the country will not progress. Even after good votes, the country's situation has worsened. That is why reforms will have to be made over a long period of time. Reforms cannot be made in a short time. Reforms have to be made thoroughly.
Professor AK Enamul Haque also said, "Not everyone may agree on all aspects of reform. However, to move the country forward, there needs to be a minimum consensus among all on some issues."
He also said, "We must first love our country. Because many of us have more love for ourselves and group love than love for our country. We are politically prioritizing the party we are a fan of, leaving the country behind." The interim government has not been in power for long, it has been 6 months. But in the meantime, more than 150 movements have taken place. That means you can understand that everyone is busy with everything, everyone thinks this is the only opportunity. This thinking is the reason for so many movements. He commented that this movement is not decreasing, but rather increasing. The responsibility for reforms cannot be taken only by the Yunus government. He also mentioned that everyone should take responsibility for their own reforms.
In the main article, Professor Dr. Kamal Ahmed Chowdhury said that the political, religious and economic structures of the country have been destroyed in the last few years. After the uprising of the students and the masses, the interim government came to power. Later, the Reform Commission was formed as part of the state reforms.
Other speakers said that first of all, it was necessary to form an education reform commission. But no commission has been formed on this important issue. Now, there is no education in primary schools in villages. This needs to be thought about. Because our education system starts from this primary. The education system has been destroyed, the judiciary has been destroyed. First, these need to be reformed and laws need to be made for them. The speakers said that everything cannot be stuck for the sake of reform. Reforms should continue, and other things should also be done. Besides, the first reform is needed by individuals. If morality does not come among people, then everything will remain as before. Law can never be taken into one's own hands. The speakers emphasized the importance of establishing the rule of law in society.
At the beginning of the dialogue organized in collaboration with Leading University, Sylhet's first private university, and the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry, prayers were offered for the soul of martyr ATM Turab, a member of the Sylhet Press Club who was killed by police during a student-public protest.
