Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday stressed the need for ensuring transparency and accountability in every sphere of society and having the goodwill of the political leaders to combat corruption.
"The major concern is to ensure transparency and accountability in every sector. If the political leaders have goodwill, the society will be saved from decaying, and the corruption will decrease," he said.
He made the remarks while attending a discussion meeting as the chief guest at the National Theatre Auditorium of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy here.
Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Dr Mohammad Abdul Momen presided over the discussion held marking the International Anti-Corruption Day 2025.
The adviser said the corruption will lessen only after raising a social movement against the misdeed, alongside ensuring punishment for the offenders.
"Not only exposing the offenders to justice, but also resisting the corrupt elements socially will help diminish corruption," he said.
He said the people had earlier hated the corrupt elements and avoided them as bad people, but now they are in a hot race to respect them.
So, the advice has emphasized changing the mindset of showing respect to corrupt people.
Salehuddin said that only punishment can ever compensate for the corruption. "Which punishment will be suitable for the individual who swindled millions of dollars? He cannot even compensate the losses of the country if he remains in jail forever," he said.
Terming the corrupt officials as smart, the adviser said they are the bankers of the bankers, and they unearth newer techniques for committing corruption. "The familiar people with them become frustrated after seeing their lavish life," he said.
The finance adviser, however, highly praised the current Anti-Corruption Commission for their role in combating graft.
"The present role of the Anti-Corruption Commission has been able to create panic among the corrupt people," he said.
The International Anti-Corruption Day 2025 is being observed across the country on Tuesday in accordance with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
