Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said, "According to many, it is intentional that Bangladesh has been downgraded one step in the Transparency International's corruption index on the prescription of the World Bankers as it is an election year.'
The minister answered various questions from journalists before a program organized at Bashundhara City Shopping Mall on Panthpath of the capital on Wednesday afternoon. In response to a question about Bangladesh's one step backward in Transparency International's World Corruption Index 2022 report released on Tuesday, January 31, the Minister of Broadcasting said, 'Many people say that it is an election year, for this Transparency International has reduced one point in the prescription of the World Bankers. There will be no more reports before the election. Next year again in January or February when the report is out, the election will be done.
Referring to 'Recently the activities of Transparency International have given rise to many questions', Dr Hasan said as an example, 'When false allegations were presented about the Padma Bridge, Transparency International held a press conference saying that there was corruption. Later, it was found that the corruption did not happen but the World Bank lost in the Canadian court. The World Bank came back and proposed that they would like to finance. Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina did not take it. But Transparency International did not apologize for their statement. In this way, there were various statements of Transparency International on corona vaccination and other issues, which seem to be motivated by some political motive.
The information minister said, "We welcome the presence of civil society organizations like Transparency International and their activities. Nevertheless, if their activities are on the prescription of the world leaders or as an aide to some of them or for any political motive, it is very sad. Earlier, during BNP's time, the country has been champion of corruption five times in a row, four times individually and once jointly with an African country. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is adopting zero tolerance policy to curb corruption. Corruption has decreased in Bangladesh.
At that time, regarding BNP's criticism on the increase in electricity prices, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said, 'Mirza Fakhrul was a teacher, he used to teach in Dhaka College. I will tell him, he used to teach, now if possible he should study. Because the price of fuel oil has been increased in all European countries. Fuel inflation in the UK is over 10 per cent. Electricity prices have increased in all developed countries, including the US, as fuel oil and gas prices have increased. Still, the Bangladesh government is trying to provide electricity to the people at an affordable price by subsidizing thousands of crores of taka. But how much can be subsidized! Subsidy also has a level. We have to sustain our economy. The price has been adjusted for that.
