Dhaka: Executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Iftekharuzzaman on Thursday said it is quite impossible to combat corruption when the culture of impunity is rampant in the country.

“An ideal situation is required to fight corruption. There’s no country where anti-graft agency alone can fight corruption,” he quoted by UNB as saying at a meeting at the ACC’s conference room.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) organised the views-exchange meeting with the NGO representatives to discuss its draft strategic work plan 2016-17.

Iftekhar said the state structure is becoming pro-corruption gradually and it is tilting towards those who are getting benefits from corruption.

“The ACC has a scope to work in this field,” he said, adding that section 20 (2) of the Constitution declared ‘unearned incomes’ illegal.

The section 20 (2) states that the state shall endeavour to create conditions in which, as a general principle, persons shall not be able to enjoy unearned incomes.

Observing that political will is a must to fight the long-prevailing graft in the country, the TIB chief said no country can check corruption without having a strong political commitment.

He said corrupt people must be brought to justice and it is the responsibility of the national anti-graft agency to do so.

ACC chairman Iqbal Mahmood said: “I don’t know what political commitment is. But when the top executive of a state raises voice against corruption, it should be understood that the commitment is there.”

He said the people who were involved in corruption cannot sleep in their own houses despite ACC’s limited capacity.

As graft has become widespread, the ACC chief said 2-3 percent of the country’s GDP is going down the drain each year due to the menace.  “Imagine where we would have been had corruption been checked!” he added.

Mahmood said only united efforts can check corruption in the country and all should do something in this regard.

ACC commissioners Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed and AFM Aminul Islam, Nijera Kori coordinator Khushi Kabir and Brac director Ahmed Najmul Hussain, among others, spoke at the meeting.