The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has pleaded for an effective National Integrity Strategy (NIS) to fight corruption by removing shortfalls in the existing strategy.
Releasing a research report, the Bangladesh chapter of the Transparency International (TI) on Thursday also stressed the need for making the integrity committee accountable by keeping a provision of releasing reports and on financial allocations on regular basis.
The qualitative research report titled 'National Integrity Strategy: Implementation and Progress' was released at a city hotel where TIB Executive Director Dr Dr Iftekharuzzaman, TIB Trustee Board Member M Hafizuddin Khan and TIB Deputy Executive Director Dr Sumaiya Khair were among others present.
While presenting the report, TIB Programme Manager (research and policy) Shammi Laila Islam said the 16 pillars of the NIS covered by the study are Executive and Public Administration, National Parliament, Judiciary, Election Commission, Office of Attorney General, Public Service Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Ombudsman, Anti-Corruption Commission, Local Government, Political Parties, Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) and Civil Society, Mass Media, Business sector, Family and Educational Institutions.
She said the government formulated the NIS in October in 2012 where various programmes were put in three categories - short term, mid-term and long term. The duration of the short term plan of action was 12 months.
"But many programmes under the short term strategy haven't yet been executed even after 18 months of the initiative," she said, adding that introduction of separate investigation to probe cases, methodology, policy and functioning of the Supreme Judicial Council haven't been formulated yet.
Sadhan Kumar Das, TIB Programme Manager (research and policy), said there is no structure or method to bring transparency and accountability in the NGO activities although a few of them on their own arrangement took some measures in this respect.
At the same time, provisions for appointment of Ombudsman, election resource centre for Election Commission and execution of the Safe Food Act, 2013 to ensure safe food consumption are yet to be implemented.
TIB Executive Director Dr Dr Iftekharuzzaman said there is some progress in the short-term strategy but many more are still to be done to execute the remaining parts of the NIS.
"Activities of the law enforcement agencies and religious institutions should be included in the NIS to have a better result," he said. The Civil Service Act has remained shelved for unknown reasons although the cabinet approved it, he added.
Speaking on the ACC, he said the Anti Corruption Commission has been made less effective by making some changes in the ACC Act 2004 and the allegation of government intervention in the investigation affairs of the ACC is still persisting.
He said the country's key institutions like the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the Information Commission, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), law-enforcement agencies and the armed forces need to be included in the NIS.
He also put emphasis on regular meeting by the advisory council of the NIS as the council met only once over the last 18 months although there is a obligation of two meetings a year.
Another FE report adds: The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has welcomed any possible initiative of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to probe its financial activities, saying that the organisation did nothing without the government's nod.
"If the commission wants to look into any of our activities, especially in maintaining transparency in spending foreign funds, they can start probing from today. Even they can file cases, if they find anything wrong," TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said at a function held in the capital to launch a report of it.
The TIB Executive Director came up with the statement a day after ACC Commissioner Md Shahabuddin had questioned the transparency of the TIB activities in spending foreign funds at a function at the city's Shilpakala Academy to award the best metropolitan, district and upazila-level corruption prevention committees.
He said the body language and remarks of the commissioner really made "me speechless and I felt embarrassed after hearing the politically-motivated remarks from a government high official."
"We'll provide all kinds of necessary supports to the ACC if they want to launch a probe against us. TIB does not spend money without the government's consent and the accountings are clearly mentioned on its website," he said.
He said the TIB is the first organisation which raised its voice in favour of formation of the ACC.
"It should not be forgotten. We want the ACC must function in more efficient ways and we want to act as an associate force of the commission," he added.
"If the commission has an objection to using foreign funds, then why don't they stop using it and also ask the government to stop the foreign-funded projects?" the TIB executive director said.
He said the TIB had helped the ACC by providing technical assistance on a number of occasions.
TIB for an effective integrity strategy to fight corruption
FE Report | Published: May 30, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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