Brigadier General (retired) Dr. M. Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser to the Ministry of Jute, Textiles and Naval Transport on Sunday said that all departments and entire system are plagued by corruption.
He said, "I am involved with two ministries; this cannot be called ocean theft—it’s more like the theft of the Pacific Ocean that happened during the last regime. The government that was in power for the last 15 years has corrupted the entire system. It will be very difficult to extricate ourselves from this situation, and reforming this mess in just 2 or 3 years is a challenging task."
During a visit to the Marine Academy near Barishal University this afternoon, he shared his concerns with reporters. “The Textiles and Jute sector is nearly finished, and we are working to address these issues. None of the government jute mills are operational, and we are trying to lease them out for revival. It's not feasible for the government to run a business,” he explained.
He also called on the public to help combat corruption.
While speaking about mob justice, he emphasized the need to restore law and order.
Sakhawat urged all parties to come together to understand the challenges faced by the people in the hill districts and to foster peace and harmony, so the situation does not worsen.
Earlier in the day, he planted trees after receiving a warm welcome at the Academy's parade ground.