Bangladesh in TI's latest CPI

Bangladesh's best-ever score in the corruption perception index (CPI) of the global anti-graft watchdog, Transparency International (TI), is encouraging. But it is hardly an occasion for celebration. The latest CPI puts Bangladesh two steps up from the bottom to the 17th position. However, concern about the prevalence of pervasive corruption is still in place. If people in the administration try to sell an otherwise unimpressive improvement in the graft situation as an achievement, the common people are unlikely to buy it, for there is not much of a difference in the situation on the ground.

The latest change in its position in the CPI notwithstanding, Bangladesh still is the second-most corrupt nation in South Asia, after Afghanistan, and the fourth-most graft-ridden in whole of Asia-Pacific region. The reasons cited for Bangladesh's plight include the failure to try high-profile cases, stop outflow of funds using illegal means and unabated increase in classified loans of banks. The grabbing of rivers and land by the influential quarters, widening of 'political control' over various sectors, limited independence of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) and lack of accountability on the part of major state organisations have also been listed for Bangladesh's quite low ranking in the TI's flagship index.

A number of factors have apparently contributed to the latest improvement in the country's CPI ranking. These include digitisation, e-procurement and certain level of perfection in legal, structural and policy matters. The ACC, under its incumbent chairman, is found to be far more active than before. However, it is yet to gain people's confidence in it as an independent anti-graft institution. Sadly enough, the successive governments failed to play their part in making the ACC a truly self-governing body. That is precisely why the original plan for making the ACC a constitutional entity de facto - not a statutory organisation - has not yet been operationalised.

Corruption has many forms. Some people get involved in the vice openly and some others tend to do it secretly. But the masses do make a perception-based conclusion about the prevalence of corruption in society. On that count, the situation is not at all palatable. The plunder of bank money by a section of people enjoying 'political patronisation' and the grabbing of government land, contracts and other state benefits by the powerful quarters show that the graft situation has not changed that much.

It has been said time and again that good governance and the rule of law are prerequisites for reducing graft. When these two important factors work well in any country, facts involving irregularities, financial or otherwise, cannot be kept hidden. Bangladesh is lagging far behind in ensuring both. This has unfortunately made the country too vulnerable to corruption. The political establishment has never been interested to make its operations open and accountable. This has only helped graft to spread and go deeper with the passage of time. It would take a long time to recover even if someone truly decides to reverse the situation.