The table has turned

A weak democracy, administration influenced judiciary, ineffective Anti-corruption commission, security forces works interrupted by influential political leaders and widespread corruption in government service sectors gave the rise of many corrupted business tycoons in Bangladesh. These people are mainly political leaders who frequently changed allegiance to the parties holding power and used their power and influence to accumulate a vast amount of wealth.

It is said that the ill-equipped and staffed judiciary always favor the wealthy and the influentials. So arresting big names like ex ministers, political leaders and VIPs are quite rare in the country. The daily Star even accused that the 41000 detainees in the past 20 days do not include big fishes. But now as the table has turned we are hearing news which seemed never possible a couple of months ago.

In a latest raid Bangladesh security forces detained many top political leaders under the state of emergency laws:

The leaders include former communications minister Nazmul Huda, former prime minister Khaleda Zia's parliamentary affairs adviser Salahuddin Quader Choudhury, former home minister Mohammad Nasim, former state minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Awami League president Sheikh Hasina's foreign investment adviser Salman F Rahman, former state minister for power Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, former state minister Mir Nasir Uddin, former state minister Amanullah Aman, former deputy minister Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, Awami Shechhashevak league general secretary Pankaj Devnath and former lawmaker ANH Mostafa Kamal popularly known as Lotus Kamal. Former finance minister Saifur Rahman's son Naser Rahman was also arrested.

No reason have been officially shown for the arrests and the family members of the arrestee have no news about their family members. Some of their names are on the corrupted millionaire ministers of Bangladesh list and there are newspaper reports about their corruption. A couple of them were accused of supporting militant organizations. A few are big loan defaulters and accused of manipulating the share market.

I am sure many in Bangladesh are quite happy about it as the conventional rule of law could have never taken such quick action against them. However points are also being raised :

"Transparency and accountability are basic principles of good governance. When an administration lacks these two attributes, the society turns into a closed society and tyranny knocks at the door.

For every arrest the government should make a case, the chargesheet and all the supporting documents should be made public.

The arrestees should have access to lawyers, and families should be notified the whereabouts of the detainees."

I hope the government will consider these points making them more successful in cleansing the political system.

Reactions: Blogger Tanvir shares his thoughts congratulating the chief of CTG:

"Bangladeshi people are absolutely ecstatic at the news of the mass arrest of the well known corrupted big shots of the country."