Graft rises in Bangladesh

TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman unveiling the findings for Bangladesh in the global Corruption Perception Index 2019 in Dhanmondi's Midas Centre on January 29, 2019. Photo: Mohiuddin Alamgir

Bangladesh has gone down in the corruption index – falling six places in world ranking, Transparency International has said in a study.

In its Corruption Perceptions Index 2018 unveiled today, it said this was an “embarrassing low” for Bangladesh witnessed during its election year.

Bangladesh ranked 149 in the world, six places lower than where it stood in 2017, earning two points lower. The position was 13th from bottom.

Also, in consideration to South Asia, Bangladesh’s position was second lowest – only ahead of Afghanistan. Pakistan stayed three steps ahead of Bangladesh.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman unveiled the report at a press conference in Dhanmondi’s Midas Centre this morning.

The index measured corruption of 180 countries where Somalia secured the bottom position. Denmark emerged as the least corrupted country in the index.

According to the report, a total score of 43 is considered average in 100. Bangladesh secured 26 points – two lower than what it earned last year.

HIGH-PROFILE CORRUPTS NOT BOOKED

“Bangladesh’s government had long list of commitments against corruption, but those were not implemented,” Iftekharuzzaman said in the briefing.

“There is no example of high-profile corrupts being booked. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is not booking high-profile corrupts,” he said.

“The ACC is netting low-level and middle-level corrupts,” Iftekharuzzaman said.

As probable cause of the slide, reasons upheld were errant corruption in the banking sector, encroachment of land and water bodies, graft in government purchase and recruitment, and increasing levels of money laundering.

GOVERNMENT IN DENIAL

“This is embarrassing for us. We are only ahead of Afghanistan in South Asia,” he said.

“There is a culture of denial among authorities. They deny facts when it comes to pointing out corruption,” Dr Iftekharuzzaman said.

“Instead, the government does not take it well when a report is published,” he added.

• The Daily star/ jan 29, 2019