| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Bangladesh | |
| Corrupt politicians barred from BD polls | |
| 2007-02-16 | |
Bangladesh unveiled tough new emergency rules on Thursday barring corrupt politicians from elections and confiscating their properties if they fail to come clean. “If any person is convicted of a case under these (emergency) rules or has appealed against his sentence, he will be disqualified to contest any elections including the parliamentary polls,” the Home Ministry said in a statement.
The new rules came as part of the interim government’s nationwide crackdown on corrupt and underworld-linked politicians. Bangladesh has been under a state of emergency since January 11 when the president suspended national polls scheduled for January 22 and stepped down as the head of the interim government. The emergency followed months of crippling opposition protests over the disputed polls. At least 35 people died in the unrest. Former central bank governor and interim government leader Fakhruddin Ahmed, backed by the country’s powerful army, promised tough new measures to purge the political system. At least 25 high-profile figures including 10 former ministers with links to both the outgoing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and opposition Awami League have already been arrested. On Thursday, police arrested former ruling party lawmaker Nasiruddin Pintu and sent him to jail on charges ranging from murder, grabbing of prime land and corruption, police said. A legal expert praised the laws in the fight against graft, but sounded a warning of the potential for misuse by enforcement agencies. “The aims of the new rules are good. It must be appreciated,” said Dhaka University law professor Asif Nazrul. But he added: “There has not been any mechanism built into the rules to ensure accountability and transparency of the law enforcers who are given huge power,” he said. “There are chances that they may misuse the power. The difficult part will be its efficient application.” The stringent rules came a day after Bangladesh’s army chief accused a corrupt elite of amassing huge wealth by stealing money meant for the poor. He warned no one would be spared. A list of suspects had been compiled and work to arrest those named would continue, the general said. | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 If we passed such a law here, 95% of the Democrats and 85% of the Republicans would have to resign. Hmmm, not a bad idea! |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-02-16 20:59 |