| Submit your comments on this article |
| Bangladesh |
| Bangladesh army chief slams corrupt politicians |
| 2007-03-28 |
| Bangladesh's Chief of the Army Staff has lambasted the country's leaders, and urged the elimination of "corrupt politicians" if the nation wants to improve. Speaking to veterans of the 1971 war of independence in Dhaka, Moeen Ahmed said, "It is time to ... fight against injustice, terrorism and corruption, as well as corrupt politicians." "Through the 36 years after independence, politicians gave us nothing good, not even to give due recognition to the national leaders," Moeen added, referring to the country's first President, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. A military-backed government, headed by former central bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed, has been ruling the country ever since a state of emergency was declared on January 11. Fakhruddin has vowed to clean up Bangladesh's notoriously corrupt politics in order to hold credible elections. "Politicians divided the country by their feuding while indulging in corrupt practices. Now the time has come to reunite the country and try to deliver the benefits of independence," Moeen said, according to a government press release. As part of a massive crackdown on graft, scores of high-profile politicians, including former ministers from both main parties, and the outgoing Prime Minister's son, have been detained on corruption allegations. After imposing the state of emergency, President Iajuddin Ahmed canceled disputed elections scheduled for January 22. The main opposition Awami League had said it would boycott the ballot, accusing the outgoing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of trying to rig the election. |
| Posted by:Fred |