DHAKA: Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday said it would take over 50 years to eliminate corruption from the country.

“There is no corruption free country in the world. The government wants to eradicate corruption in phases,” he said.

The planning minister came up with the observation while talking to journalists after a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

The lawmaker also said, “We will show zero tolerance regarding the corrupted people.”

He urged journalists to write against the opportunists who use to introduce them as ‘Chhatra League’ and involved in corruption.

Mustafa Kamal also mentioned that once he was also an activist of Chhatra League but no one could say he was involved in any kind of corruptions.

Earlier, the ECNEC approved the 'Palli Janapad' project involving Tk 424.34 crore where 272 families will be able to live.

State minister for the planning MA Mannan, secretaries Bhuiyan Safiqul Islam and Suraiya Begum were among others present at the meeting.

BDST: 1609 HRS, AUG 19, 2014