Observing that everybody is indirectly involved in graft, Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday stressed the need for applying modern technologies to check graft in the country as technologies create many scopes to prevent the social menace, reports UNB.

“The optimum use of technologies will help reduce corruption...there’s a big scope to minimise corruption in different sectors, including public procurement, by using technologies,” he said while addressing the inaugural session of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) hotline service at its head office in the capital.

Mentioning that the people who have power are involved in corruption, the Finance Minister said everybody is indirectly involved in graft. “Corruption is there in our blood...we’ve bogged down in this menace.”

Noting that many times people are forced to get involved in corruption, Muhith said, “There was no corruption culture in Bangladesh in the past. Once it used to take place in secret...it was a matter of shame. But, now it happens openly.” He said a former ACC chairman had announced crusade against corruption, but failed to bring any change. “Well, you must investigate but don’t be a jihadist as it destroys the quality of investigation,” he asked the ACC investigation officers.

Muhith said once public servants use to live a very simple life but now government salary means ‘beautiful livelihood’, observing that government employees are now changing their mindsets to keep themselves away from graft. “I hope a positive change will come over the next 8-10 years in this regard.” Speaking on the occasion, ACC chairman Iqbal Mahmood said corruption is a big problem for the country and that is why the ACC launched a hotline so that people can lodge their complaints dialing 106 from their phones free of cost.

“People can directly communicate with the Commission through the hotline and we can take action immediately as per their allegations,” he added. Earlier, Muhith inaugurated the ACC’s hotline by making a phone call to the ACC’s Complaint Centre dialing 106.

ACC Commissioners Dr Md Nasir Uddin Ahmed and AFM Aminul Islam and its secretary Abu M Mustafa Kamal were, among others, present on the occasion.

In January last, the ACC got approval with a number (106) from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) to launch a hotline.