Published: 17 February 2024
CCC Regional Convention in Rangpur
The Committee of Concerned Citizens (CCC) members emphasised political will, effectiveness of the institutions concerned, proper implementation of laws, practice of transparency and accountability, favourable environment for civic spaces, and prevention of money laundering to curb corruption.
The CCC members highlighted these at the CCC Regional Convention, held in Rangpur on 16-17 February 2024 with the theme “Corruption, Poverty, Injustice: Citizens’ Thought”.
The event was attended by 150 members of 12 CCCs from different districts and upazilas of Rangpur, Rajshahi and Dhaka divisions.
Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), was the key speaker at the CCC convention. President of CCC Rangpur Shashawta Kumar Bhattacharya, and TIB Civic Engagement Director Ferhana Ferdous also delivered speech at the opening session.
The CCC representatives from Rangpur, Nilphamari, Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Bogura, Natore, Madhupur and Savar took part in the discussion on the convention theme and shared their thoughts on the ongoing activities of TIB.
Participating in an open discussion on 'Challenges and Possibilities', the citizens focused on various measures for making the anti-corruption social movement successful.
While speaking at the event, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, “A large part of our national income is wasted due to corruption. The growth of Bangladesh could have been 3 per cent more if there were no corruption.”
He noted that most people in the country believe that getting services (from the government offices) is not possible without paying bribe. The institutions responsible for service delivery have become hostages to certain political and administrative figures. The TIB ED further stated that the low-income communities shoulder the debt burden of the rich, while no action is taken against the defaulters.
Bangladesh has one of the highest money laundering rates in the world. It is getting amplified, as the money launderers are not held accountable, while the organisations concerned and law-enforcement agencies are not playing an effective role. The country could have saved US$ 12-15 billion, if money laundering could be curbed. He also emphasised political will, proper law enforcement, and new frameworks to make the institutions more effective in controlling corruption.
Aktarul Alam Raju from CCC Nilphamari, Principal Habibul Islam from CCC Dinajpur, Dr. Kasem Ali from CCC Lalmonirhat, Prof. Mazharul Mannan from CCC Gaibandha, Saiful Islam Reza from CCC Chapainawabganj, Professor Dr. Siddharth Shankar Talukdar from CCC Rajshahi, Rezaul Karim Reza from CCC Natore, Ahsan Habib Neelu from CCC Kurigram, Bajlur Rashid Khan from CCC Madhupur, Professor Deepak Kumar Roy from CCC Savar, Zakia Sultana from CCC Bogura, and Freedom Fighter Sadrul Alam Dulu from CCC Rangpur, among others, shared their thoughts and experience in the convention.
During the experience sharing session on challenges and possibilities of implementing anti-corruption activities, Freedom Fighter Abdul Khalek from Savar, Mr. Bappu from Madhupur, Pratima Chowdhury from Kurigram, Prof. Shah Alam from Rangpur, Abdur Razzak from Natore, Mizanur Rahman Litu from Nilphamari, Alima Khatun Lima from Rajshahi, Selina Begum from Chapainawabganj, Nasima Akhtar Jahan from Bogura, Ziaul Haque Kamal from Gaibandha, Swapna Zaman from Lalmonirhat, and Professor Abdul Jalil Ahmed from Dinajpur talked about their experience as anti-corruption activists.
Additionally, eight representatives from the Active Citizens’ Group (ACG), operated by CCC Rangpur, gave brief speech. The speakers emphasised mobilising the anti-corruption movement further to establish a corruption-free and well-governed Bangladesh in line with the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War.
