Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Joint General Secretary of Awami League Dr. Hashan Mahmud said, 'There is a need for civil society organizations like Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), but the organization sometimes makes statements like a political party.'
The minister said this in a statement in Chattogram on Friday (December 29).
Based on a recent report by TIB, when the media headlined '87 percent of Awami League's candidates are millionaires', the information minister pointed out that even in villages, 5 kathas of land cost Tk 1 crore, and there is no land below Tk 1 crore in Dhaka and Chattogram cities. That is, many people in the country are millionaires. When the TIB explained this again, the minister said in his statement, "The people were not confused by the words of the TIB". In my analysis they have rightly realized that the word "millionaire" does not carry any special weight now.'
Recalling the various statements of TIB on alleged corruption in Padma Bridge, the Information Minister said, after the World Bank said it would not fund Padma Bridge, TIB said - the government's decision to finance Padma Bridge from alternative sources may seem like a way to divert attention (from allegations of corruption) and Even if this decision is successful, it will not increase the acceptance of the government.
Again after the resignation of the then Communications Minister Syed Abul Hussain, TIB commented that it was too late, the resignation should have been made only a few months ago when the World Bank brought allegations of corruption.
But later it was proved in the federal court of Canada that there was no corruption with Padma Bridge. That is, all these statements of TIB were baseless and fabricated.
During the Corona pandemic, TIB has made a series of statements, many of which have been proven wrong, Dr. Hasan Mahmud said, in addition to the many imaginary images of corruption, TIB said that 7.8 percent of the country's people, i.e. about one and a half lakh people, have died without treatment due to corona. But at that time the total number of deaths was less than 30 thousand.
Citing earlier examples, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said that in 2015, TIB called our great Jatiya Sangsad a "puppet dance theater". And they don't make any statement against burning people alive by hurling petrol bombs, while someone jumps in with a kill-punch statement in the city corporation elections. They behave like political parties.
At the same time, Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that institutions like TIB are needed to consolidate democracy in the country, to create a corruption-free society and good governance. But it is expected that their reports should not be biased based on information and politically motivated.