"The society should boycott the corrupt" -- that's President Abdul Hamid's curt prescription to end corruption in Bangladesh.

"No man is born corrupt. Family, social and surrounding environment have the greatest impact on human life. So, corrupt people should be socially boycotted," he said at a programme on the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9.

The programme was organised at the city's Shilapakala Academy this morning, where Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain also delivered his speech as the special guest.

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The theme of this year's Anti-Corruption Day is 'Your right, your role: Say no to corruption’.

The President said that honest, sincere and devoted people need to be evaluated socially. "Only then will corruption be reduced."

"Human needs have limits, but greed is limitless. Corruption is an issue that has been prevalent in every society. No country in the world is completely free from its ill-effects," he said.

The President said that it is not possible for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) alone to curb corruption unless anti-graft sentiment is awakened socially.

Stressing on establishing the rule of law, Hamid said it has no alternative but to build a comprehensive resistance against corruption. "Only by creating anti-corruption awareness among the people and giving exemplary punishment to the corrupt can help reduce corruption to a tolerable level."

He also urged the employees at all levels of the Commission to show utmost impartiality and ethics in the discharge of their duties.

"You have to eliminate your own irregularities and dishonesty before identifying the corruption of others and bringing them to justice. Those who abuse the responsibilities and powers vested in them by the state must be strictly controlled and brought to justice through customary law," he added.

The President also said that the confidence of the people in the ACC will increase if the idea is created in the minds of the people that no corrupt will be able to escape.

To mark this date, the ACC has also arranged a human chain in city's different areas alongside a discussion programme.

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On the other hand, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) organised a catoon exhibition on the occasion.

On October 31, 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against corruption and designated the office of the secretary general of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as the secretariat for the Convention's Conference of States Parties. 

The Assembly also fixed December 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day to raise awareness against corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it.