RESEARCH NEWS ‘Parliament Watch 2005’ published Taka 2 crore and 91 lakh wasted: Effective parliament needed Taka 2 crore 91 lakh and 45 thousand Committee (PAC) sat once in each month to various questions from journalists said wasted as a result of quorum crisis in the according to regulations. Though the total that the National Assembly was created to five sessions (15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and numbers of Audit Report placed to the see the welfare of the people of the the 19th) of the eighth parliament; most of National Assembly from independence to country. But unfortunately, many of the the absentee members were from April 2004 were 799, the PA Committee members did not fulfill their responsibility, business community; members praised could only discuss 166 (20.78%) of those but kept on enjoying all kind of perquisites. their leaders 202 times; the leader of the Reports. 633 Reports are yet to be Though an Ethics Committee exists but main opposition party was absent for discussed by the PA Committee. The they never take any step against such 94.4% of the total working-days.The present committee discussed 149 audit irregularities. It is the duty of the people, number of audit objections against the objections relating to 15 ministries during said Prof. Muzaffer, to protest against such Ministry of Communications were the its total 25 meetings. The money involved behaviour, so that the members become highest, involving an amount Taka 12 in the audit objections of these 15 aware of their responsibilities. His remarks thousand 77 crore and 51 lakh. The ministries and divisions is Taka 13,154 about the presence of businessmen in the research report of ‘Parliament Watch 2005’ crore and 54 lakh. It may be mentioned parliament: Businessmen are not to be released on 27 June at the National Press that of the 15 ministries the Ministry of blamed. It is the political parties who send Club where Professor Muzaffer Ahmad, Communications has the highest number honest and bright people away from Chairman of TIB Board of Trustees, its of audit objections involving an amount of politics by nominating persons from Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Taka 12,775 crore and 51 lakh. Only Taka business community many of whom Director Research S I Laskar, key 12 crore and 10 lakh has so far been happens to be dishonest. researcher Mr. Tanvir Mahmud were recovered and the rest of Taka 12,535 among others present. crore and 78 lakh remains unrecovered in TIB is closely observing the activities of the spite of the PA Committee decisions. Eighth Parliament right from its first session In 2005 the fifteenth to nineteenth to assess how effectively the National sessions of the Parliament 2005 were 28 bills were accepted by the Parliament in Assembly is performing to ensure good most criticized for crises in quorum. There its five sessions. Among them the ‘Tax governance in the country. Four reports were, in total 62 working days in these five Ombudsman Bill’ passed in the have already been published covering its sessions. A total of 32 hours and 23 seventeenth session was the most first fourteen sessions. TIB has made a minutes were lost for want of quorum important. Analyses of the amendment quite a number of recommendations in which is 17.44% of the total time. It may be proposals on the bill show that 54.2% them to make the parliament more effective mentioned that Taka 15 thousand per amendment proposals were rejected by and to ensure good governance. Those minute is spent in carrying out the voice-votes, 8.3% were partly accepted were : to frame rules to ensure the business of parliamentary sessions. By and 37.5% amendment proposals were not attendance of members; to declare one day this calculation, the total amount of money raised at all. 100% amendment proposals in every fifteen-days as opposition-day; to wasted as a result of quorum shortage is from government party members were see that the Prime Minister attends in the Taka 2 crore 91 lakh and 45 thousand. accepted by the Parliament. Altogether 19 sessions regularly and motivates other Analysis of the professions of the member main questions were made to the Prime members to attend also; to see that all shows that at present 58% members of Minister during the five sessions of last committees are duly constituted during the the parliament are engaged in business. year. 89.5% of those were raised by first session of the parliament and give a Most of the members, both from government party members. Only 10.5% guideline about actions to be taken if the Government and the main opposition questions were asked by other opposition committee’s recommendation are not party, who were 100% absent during the parties. Main questions to the ministers followed; to see that at least 50 per cent of fifteenth to eighteenth sessions, were from (other than those placed on the table) the posts of Chariman of the various the business community. The main numbered 282 in total. 221 of them committees are distributed among the opposition party, Bangladesh Awami (78.37%) were by the members of the opposition parties in proportion to their League, was absent 61 days out of the government-party. Only 61 questions strength in the Parliament and ensure that total 62 working days. Besides, on an (21.63%) were asked by the members of each committee sits once in a month and average, 6.9% of the members from the the other opposition parties. In the press the like. government party and 14.28% members conference Prof. Muzaffer Ahmad, in reply from the other opposition parties did not attend the fifteenth to the eighteenth sessions at all. Members remained engaged in eulogizing their own leaders for 202 times. Treasury bench members did it more (93.07%). Besides, on 128 occasions, members tried to gain kudos from their own party-members by criticizing the leaders of the opposition. This was done more by the government- party members, which is 67.1% of total such incidents. Research shows that of the 37 Standing Committees on Ministries 27 failed to hold meetings as per regulations. Concerned Minister/Ministers of state were absent in 14% meetings. The Public Accounts ▲ Part of Attended Journalists at the Press Conference Waves : TIB Newsletter 2 Diagnostic Study on Land Ports Corruption involving Tk. 142 crore in two years: Quick modernization required TIB’s Diagnostic Study on the two Land Ports shows that bribes are required to be paid at 30 points at least in order to export or import goods through those two ports. Exporters and importers had to pay an amount of Tk. 142 crore and 8 lakh as bribe or speedmoney during the fiscal years 2003-04 and 2004-05. Corrupt customs and port- authority officials were mainly involved. This research was mainly aimed at finding the nature and extent of irregular payments that take place ▲ during exports and imports and to pinpoint the Prof. Muzaffer Ahmad at the Press Conference main problems of these two land ports so that collected from imported goods was “You shall not take each those could be taken care of. On 16 April the approximately Tk. 3 crore and 8 lakh. Customs others’ money illicitly, nor report of this research was released formally at a officials collected Tk. 2 crore and 90 lakh and let shall you bribe the officials press conference in the VIP Lounge of the the port officials collect the rest of Tk. 18 lakh. to deprive others of some of National Press Club, Dhaka. Chairman of the Businessmen at both the ports appeared to be their rights illicitly, while you Trustee Board of TIB, Professor Muzaffer Ahmad, inclined to evade payment of taxes. A syndicate know.” Trustee, M. Hafizuddin Khan, Executive Director was observed to be active in evading crores of of TIB and officials connected with the research taka as tax by bringing goods without any Source: Quaran, Surah 2 were present. manifesto and giving false declaration. One Ayat 188 customs officer informed that taxes worth an The research shows that bribes are needed to be amount of 100 crore taka were not paid during paid, at least at 30 points, to release any goods “He became corrupt the last four years. imported via Benapole and at 7 points for goods immediately after asking for imported via Teknaf. On an average, an amount of The Executive Director TIB, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman bribe and loses respect and Tk. 17 thousand 2 hundred and 3 is paid for each said, “to stop corruption and mismanagement identify.” consignment of goods imported through Benapole and to make these two land ports efficient and and Tk. 4 thousand 9 hundred and 27 is paid at fully active immediate measures to modernize Source: Bhagavad Gita, Teknaf to corrupt customs and port officials. For them.” TIB has made quite a number of Chapter 2 exporting goods through Benapole land port the recommendations in these regards. The following average payment rate of bribe is Tk. 2 thousand are some of them: convert Benapole as full- “You shall not take a bribe, and 4 hundred. To release a ton of imported goods fledged land port and shift its Head-Quarter at for a bribe blinds the clear- at Benapole the average rate of bribe is Tk. 253 Benapole; identify the corrupt officials and take sighted and subverts the while the same at Teknaf is Tk. 325 only. At severe action against them; reduce the steps cause of the just. Benapole, 71 per cent of bribe paid to release required for releasing goods to the minimum of 5 goods is collected by customs officials while the or 6 steps; increase pay and other benefits of rest 29 per cent is collected by port officials.