Corruption watchdog Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) yesterday expressed deep concerns over some recent news that said some ministers and lawmakers had amassed huge wealth during the last five years, a written statement from the organisation said.
The information, published by different news media, was collected from the affidavits that election candidates have placed before the Election Commission for the 10th parliamentary polls.
The anti-graft campaigners also expressed their dissatisfaction over the Anti-Corruption Commission’s decision that it would not go for investigation into the issues to avoid chaos before the election.
“If the huge wealth, amassed by the candidates, are inconsistent with their known sources of income, it will be unlawful and unconstitutional as per section 20(2) of the constitution,” TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said in the statement.
People do not elect the representatives to misuse the power by giving up public interests, the TIB chief said.
He said ACC’s incuriousness over the issue was dissatisfactory and requested the anti-graft body to take immediate steps on the issues following proper legal channels.
The failure to take immediate steps in this situation would render the mandatory rule for submission of wealth statement by lawmakers meaningless, the statement read.
