Sakhawat sets a rare standard

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Newly appointed Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Sakhawat Hossain in a rare move yesterday disclosed a detailed account of his wealth.
“As a soldier, I want to set an example. I will also disclose another statement of my wealth on the day of my departure from the Election Commission,” Sakhawat, who was sworn in as an election commissioner earlier in the day, told reporters explaining his move.

The statement, signed by Sakhawat, gave detailed account of his movable and immovable properties and money deposited in different banks. He distributed copies of the statement among journalists for publication.

“I gave you [journalists] the account of my wealth, anyone can examine its accuracy,” Sakahawat said in his office on the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat premises.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda and Election Commissioner Sohul Hossain, who were appointed on February 4, however did not disclose their wealth statements.

Neither any CEC nor any election commissioner had ever disclosed the accounts of their wealth in the past.

“I had informed the chief election commissioner that I was going to disclose my wealth statement. It depends on them whether they will disclose theirs,” the newly appointed election commissioner said in reply to a query.

“I expect those who are in the civil service will declare their wealth statements. In future, politicians might be asked to disclose their wealth statements,” he said.

Sakhawat, the first former military bureaucrat in the EC, said, “I know my responsibilities as an election commissioner. I will try my best to present a free and fair election. My hands are free and my mind is clear. I am not afraid to call a spade a spade.”

Chief Justice Syed JR Mudassir Husain swore the new election commissioner into office, who had been appointed to the post on Tuesday.

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