Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq today said Bangladesh government has a firm stance and zero tolerance against corruption as its political leadership has set time-bound socio-economic development trajectories for the country.

“Corruption is a global challenge and no country is immune from the scourge of it. It is more obvious in a developing country like Bangladesh…Corruption must not deflect us from our objectives and targets,” he said.

The law minister said this at the First Ministerial Meeting for Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States at Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, official sources said here today.

“We signed and ratified the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2007. We have already established a comprehensive legal framework nationally addressing a host of relevant issues, inter alia, Prevention of Corruption, Criminal Law, Anti-Corruption Commission, Right to Information, Whistle Blower Protection, Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, Extradition, Public Procurement, and Countering Transnational Crimes,” Anisul further said.

The law minister hoped that the OIC Convention on anticorruption will be adopted and subsequently come into force after completing due procedures soon.

Referring to the prevention of illicit financial flows, recovery and returning the confiscated assets, Anisul added, “We observe with some disappointment that despite explicit UNCAC provisions, there are increased barriers and conditions in the asset recovery process as well as their speedy return to countries of origin.”

He emphasized on identifying key weaknesses and gaps in “our international anti-corruption framework”, and devised new and innovative responses.

“We have to take a comprehensive whole-of-society approach, involving all stakeholders – including women and youth to fight corruption. While our fight against corruption is critical to the 2030 Agenda and sustainable future, we must join hands in the spirit of multilateralism to address the underlying factors and enablers of corruption at national, regional and international levels,” Anisul also said.

He reiterated the unwavering commitment of Bangladesh to work with the OIC and its member states to prevent and combat corruption at all levels.

Presided over by Mazin Bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous, the President of the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Chair of this Ministerial Conference, the opening session of the two-day conference was also addressed by OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Executive Director Ghada Waly and Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock, among others.