Transparency International Bangladesh
TIB wants judicial inquiry into attack on UNO
The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Sunday demanded a judicial inquiry into the barbaric attack on Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Wahida Khanam of Ghoraghat in Dinajpur district.
TIB criticises re-registration plan of online portals
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Tuesday expressed grave concern over the government directive to all national dailies and TV channels for getting their respective online news portals registered separately.
MP's 'involvement in human trafficking, money laundering' shameful: TIB
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said that the involvement of parliament member in international crimes like human trafficking and money laundering is a disrespectful examples for the public representatives.
Freedom of speech threatened in the name of Digital Security: TIB
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Saturday alleged that the people’s constitutional right of freedom of speech has been threatened in the name of digital security in the country.
In a press release, TIB expressed deep concern over some recent incidents of arrests of writers, journalists and other professionals who criticised various irregularities.
TIB demanded unconditional release of the arrested people and urged the government to secure people’s constitutional right of freedom of speech.
Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of TIB, said that according to media reports, many cases were filed against journalist, teacher, writer, cartoonist, social activists and even health workers. Many were sacked and were arrested as they criticised some recent issues of irregularities.
“I want to insist the authorities concern… please respond to the criticism with your work and take the incidents of irregularities seriously to control them,” he said.
“Don’t walk on the path of autocracy by controlling and restricting the different opinions,” he said.
Referring to the recent incident of missing journalist Shafiqul Islam who was sued for illegal trespassing, Iftekharuzzaman said such incidents go against the announcement of ‘Zero Tolerance’ against corruption by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Quoting media reports, TIB disclosed that 180 journalists were sued from the beginning of 2018 to June 2019.
After coronavirus outbreak, 67 cases were filed under the Digital Security Act. Among them, 37 were filed against journalists, the organisation said.
Besides, on charge of spreading rumours on social media, 88 people including cartoonist and journalists were arrested.
TIB believes that such arrests and repression violate the rule of law, the release said.
Budget: TIB against allowing black money whitening
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Tuesday urged the government not to keep any provision of whitening of black money in the forthcoming national budget in the name of creating employment by attracting investment and boosting revenue generation.
The Bangladesh chapter of the Berlin-based organisation termed such scope in the budget "discriminatory and unconstitutional" and graft-supportive one.
The second budget session (8th session) of the 11th parliament will begin at 5 pm on Wednesday amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal will place a Tk 556,978-crore proposed national budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year in the House giving an outline of recovering the economy from the negative impacts of COVID-19 pandemic in his budget speech.
The Finance Minister will also narrate various steps so far the government has already taken to face the adverse impact of the COVID-19 and save people’s lives and livelihoods.
Citing media reports, TIB condemned the government move to expand scope of whitening undisclosed money through buying flats, land as well as investing those in development projects and the stock market , said a press release.
“The forthcoming budget is not only giving the opportunity to whiten black money on a large scale but also it's going to remove the provision of Anti-Corruption Commission to question the source...it cannot be desired,” said TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman.
He noted that the country's economy never benefited from this facility in the past years neither it helped to collect significant revenue. “Rather it questioned the government's anti-corruption stance.”
The TIB Executive Director urged the government to refrain from taking such a move and termed it ‘discriminatory’ towards the honest citizens.
TIB demanded swift initiative to investigate huge foreign investments by multiple influential individuals and groups.
“I urge the government to take appropriate and effective accountability measures by exploring their sources of money instead of indulging them,” Dr Iftekharuzzaman said.
He highlighted the tragic exposure of the rela condition on the country’s health sector due to the COVID-19 situation. “Such a fragile situation in the health sector was not created in one day.”
"Years after years, inadequate funding in the health sector, lack of coherence in spending, and rampant corruption in the sector have led to such catastrophes," he said.
TIB put forward a set of recommendations for the forthcoming national budget which includes adequate allocations to the health sector, increasing employment, and social security for people who have recently fallen below the poverty line due to the pandemic.
They also demanded an effective anti-corruption roadmap by ensuring transparency and accountability in all types of procurement, distribution and expenditure in these sectors.
No proposal made to cancel subsidy for farmers: Power Division
The Power Division in a statement Sunday said it has not proposed cancelling the existing power or electricity subsidy for farmers, contrary to a statement of the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).
NBR needs to be tough to realise outstanding taxes: Experts
Checking tax evasion and avoidance, reviewing tax exemption with implementing reforms in tax management and adopting other tough technics to realise outstanding taxes could be a good strategy for the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to minimise its gap in revenue target and collection, according to experts.
TIB condemns Kurigram journalist’s arrest from home by mobile court
Terming the imprisonment of the Kurigram journalist illegal, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Saturday said such misuse of law is in contravention of the constitutional commitment and against the freedom of media.
ACC under ruling party influence, says TIB
The Anti-Corruption Commission is influenced by the ruling party as it is soft to its politicians, according to a research conducted by the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).
Wasa’s tariff-hike proposal irrational: TIB
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Tuesday described the proposal of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) to hike water tariff by 80 percent at residential and commercial levels as ‘irrational, repressive and unacceptable’.