Law minister blames intellectual corruption for damage to judiciary, democracy.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman today said intellectual corruption had caused far greater damage to the country than financial corruption had inflicted on the judiciary, highlighting the devastating consequences of compromised intellectual integrity in the judicial system.
“When a judgment like the one on the 13th Amendment comes, which destroyed Bangladesh's democratic progress and set the country on a path towards fascism, I would not call it a by-product of financial corruption; rather, this amendment was a by-product of intellectual corruption,” he said.
The law minister made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of a three-day workshop on “Judicial Integrity” for judges, organised by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) with assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at a city hotel this morning.
Urging TIB to move beyond the notion that corruption is limited to financial misconduct, the law minister said those who are intellectually biased and corrupt and have brought the credibility of the Supreme Court into question should be identified and spoken out against.
“Our society has been intellectually divided. Look at the situation today: a section of intellectuals is sitting silently. They are not saying anything about the people who were killed and those who suffered permanent disabilities during the July mass uprising. In this context, I feel that while raising questions about judicial integrity, you should also speak about intellectual corruption within the judiciary,” he said.
Addressing the judges present on the occasion, Md Asaduzzaman said a public perception has developed against them.
“Just as we have a responsibility to remove this perception, you also have a responsibility. The role you play in clearing this perception is a matter of your conscience,” he added.
“Please keep in mind that you joined the service, but your competition is not with the secretaries. Do not try to equate yourselves with the secretaries or other employees of the republic. Otherwise, you will be deviating from the judgment in the historic Masdar Hossain case and the judgment on the warrant of precedence. Remember, you exercise the sovereign power of the republic,” the law minister added.
He further said the government is going to amend the constitution soon, urging the TIB to give their suggestions in this regard within the next 10 days in writing
“We welcome any fundamental or public welfare-oriented suggestions from you. If you submit your suggestions in writing within the next 10 days, we hope to discuss them at our review meeting as part of our transparency efforts,” he added.
Meanwhile, responding to a question from journalists after the programme, the law minister said the government was pursuing appropriate legal measures to bring ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back from India.
“Although the Law Ministry is not directly involved in this matter, the Ministry of Home Affairs is concerned, as it relates to the extradition treaty with India. The matter will be dealt with in accordance with the law, leaving no room for emotions. We have requested her repatriation under the treaty and through due process,” the law minister said.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman and UNDP Senior Advisor on Rule of Law, Justice, and Human Rights, Romana Schweiger, addressed the function, among others.
