'Criminalisation of politics main obstacle to dev'

"The country has received a total of Tk two thousand billion in loan assistance from foreign countries and donor organisations since independence, but 75 percent of the amount was grabbed by a handful of people, including politicians," said economist Dr Abul Barkat, a professor of Dhaka University.

Politics is now most profitable venture in the country, he added.

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The Projanmer Chetona, a social organisation, arranged the roundtable on 'Political reform movement: Problems and solutions' at the Liberation War Museum auditorium in the city.

Prof Barkat said 84 percent of lawmakers are engaged in business, which shows that the politics has become polluted.

Most lawmakers possess black money, he said, and called on all political parties not to give nominations to black money holders in the election.

He also called for making the Election Commission fully independent for a free and fair election.

Prof Barkat termed the killings by law enforcers in the name of 'crossfire' an extreme form of terrorism.

AAMS Arefin Siddique, president of Dhaka University Teachers Association (Duta), underscored the need for reforms in the education system to make the people conscious about politics.

The majority of people cannot understand how they are being deprived because they lack proper education, he added.

"We have to change our mental make-up before bringing about reforms in politics and a good leadership can help us in this regard," Arefin said.

Noted economist Prof Muzaffer Ahmed, Language Movement veteran Abdul Matin, Justice Mohammad Golam Rabbani, Prof Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque, Dr Mohammad Samad and Dr Shahdin Malik also spoke.