Say bankers at The Daily Star discussion on the country’s financial sector

Is involvement in politics a crime? Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon posed that question while defending the government’s decision to appoint vice-chancellors to seven universities and a new chairman of the University Grants Commission on Monday.

A political economy lens is needed to understand the current situation of Bangladesh.

The prime minister has asked the deputy commissioners to take a stand against corruption. We welcome this instruction being timely and appropriate.

The police headquarters is mulling a new mechanism to recruit constables as part of efforts to stop the flow of inefficient people in the force through corruption and political influence. Under the new system, officials at the police HQ will prepare a 40-mark question paper for written tests and evaluate the answer sheets. The job is now done by a committee headed by the superintendent of police (SP) of the district concerned.

A study by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) says the parliamentary standing committees are unable to ensure accountability and transparency in the ministry activities due to political influence and conflict of interest among the committee members.

The authorities close an inspector and suspend two sub-inspectors of Jalalabad Police Station after a probe has found their negligence in arresting Rajon killers.