Toothless Tiger?


Written by Irsa Khan • Region • November 2010

7-1 Bangladesh has been ranked 12th among the most corrupt countries in the world (from a total of 180 countries) by Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index for 2010, with a score of 2.4, same as that of last year, while climbing up from its earlier 13th position.

While many international observers are rejoicing over Bangladesh’s progress in making it to the 12th after being placed at the bottom of the list for first successive years from 2001 to 2005, those within the country are skeptical about the rising corruption in Bangladesh, which in the absence of any significant anti-graft is feared to engulf the social structure of the country.

Though curbing corruption through multi-pronged measures was one of its major electoral pledges, the Awami League-led government has taken no significant step in this direction.

Many say that the government’s assurance is more on rhetoric than on concrete action, which raises questions about its sincerity in this regard. The ruling party in its election manifesto’s top five priority issues mentioned that “Powerful people will have to submit wealth statements annually. Strict measures will be taken to eliminate bribe, extortion, rent seeking and corruption.” The manifesto said strong measures will be taken against those having unearned and black money, against loan defaulters, tender manipulators, and against abusers of muscle power in every stage of state and society.

It seems as if in spite of all the talk about curbing corruption in the country, the people have not seen much action. Talking to a leading newspaper of Bangladesh, former chief adviser Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman said Bangladesh appears to be in the grip of swindlers. “People today are seriously worried about irregularities and partisanship in the processes of admission, recruitment and tender,” he said, adding “how a talent-based administration could then be established.”
The Daily Star-Nielsen opinion poll published in The Daily Star on August 29 this year revealed the government fared poorly on two vital issues - corruption and the role of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

In the meantime, the AL policymakers have time and again assured that the government has strengthened the anti-graft watchdog through different means and helped it function independently and normally. Commerce Minister Faruk Khan has said that the government is digitalizing different processes through which corruption will be “further” cut in the coming days.

When asked as to why the government hasn’t been able to take any concrete action in this regard, the present government seems to be on a blame game with no proper vision for the future. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, many of her cabinet colleagues, and party leaders several times categorically alleged that influential leaders and adherents of BNP-Jamaat alliance illegally amassed hundreds of crores of taka and siphoned off the money abroad. Moreover, the blame has often also been put on the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) in Bangladesh, which the government maintains is fully independent and the government does not interfere in its activities to curb corruption.

On the other hand, rejecting the claim that there is no pressure from the government, ACC Chairman Golam Rahman believes that the “Anti-corruption drive won’t have the tempo as expected by the people until the pending cases are disposed of immediately.”

While it is true that “longstanding corruption cannot be eradicated overnight,” what Bangladesh needs today is a political goodwill to strengthen its anti-graft drive and reduce corruption in the country.