Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday urged Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to assign the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to conduct an impartial investigation into alleged corruption during the 18-month tenure of the interim government.
Speaking during the general discussion on the proposed national budget for fiscal year 2026-27 in Parliament, Salahuddin said the current government believes in transparency and accountability, and therefore the activities of the interim administration should also come under scrutiny. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was present during the session, which was chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal.
The minister said that alongside investigating institutional corruption, money laundering, and banking irregularities during the Awami League government's tenure, the ACC should also examine the decisions and activities of the interim government.
"We need to determine where corruption occurred, how it happened, and who was involved through a fair and impartial investigation," he said.
Salahuddin argued that the interim government's tenure was marked by political and administrative instability, making it necessary to review its decisions in the public interest.
Referring to a recent report by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), the minister said the report had raised questions about the level of corruption during the interim government's rule. He stressed that he was not making the allegations himself but was highlighting the need for an investigation based on the published findings.
Citing data from a white paper led by economist Debapriya Bhattacharya, Salahuddin said that between 2009 and 2024, weak accountability fostered a "plunder economy" and "crony capitalism." He claimed that an average of $16 billion was illicitly transferred abroad each year, with an estimated Tk 2.9 to Tk 3 million crore leaving the country over the 15-year period. He also referred to major banking scandals, politically influenced bank management, and inflated costs of mega infrastructure projects.
The home minister said the current government had presented a Tk 937,000 crore budget after overcoming the economic challenges inherited from the previous government and the instability experienced during the interim administration. He described the proposed budget as a "New Economic Order" budget aimed at restructuring the economy while addressing global economic challenges.
On the July Charter, Salahuddin said political parties had signed the document through consensus in the interest of the nation and to facilitate elections, even though there was no agreement on every issue. He also alleged that one political group had intended to remain in power for five years without holding elections.
The minister said the government's first cabinet meeting approved the waiver of both principal and interest on agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000 for farmers.
He further said the budget was designed around a welfare-oriented economic philosophy, with no new taxes imposed on essential commodities to protect consumers' purchasing power. As a result, he claimed, prices of essential goods remained largely stable before and after the budget announcement.
Highlighting the budget's priorities, Salahuddin said it aims to boost productivity, develop human resources, and support a smart economic transformation, citing Singapore's development model as an example.
During his speech, the home minister also criticized Jamaat-e-Islami's political position, claiming that the party's election manifesto does not clearly commit to establishing an Islamic state or implementing Sharia law. He also criticized the party's historical political role, including its position during Bangladesh's Liberation War.
Rejecting opposition allegations over law and order, Salahuddin said police are now more effective in controlling crime and claimed that political influence is no longer required to register cases at police stations.
