Bangladesh 14th most corrupt nation in the world: TI

Bangladesh has scored its lowest in 13 years on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2024 released by Berlin-based Transparency International (TI).
With a score of 23, down by one point from that in 2023, Bangladesh ranks 151st out of 180 countries, marking a two-step decline from its previous position. It is now the 14th most- corrupt country in the world.
The 2024 score is the lowest since 2012, reflecting a concerning trend of deteriorating governance and rising corruption.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has attributed this decline to the country's authoritarian and kleptocratic governance, which has allegedly facilitated corruption rather than combating it.
Addressing a programme at the MIDAS Centre in the capital on Tuesday, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, "Despite the government's rhetoric against corruption, it has systematically enabled, nurtured, and even participated in corrupt practices. This has led to unchecked plundering, state-sponsored appeasement of corrupt individuals, and a failure to enforce the rule of law, resulting in structural weaknesses and a steady decline in Bangladesh's position."
The CPI 2024, which measures perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean), highlights that Bangladesh's score has consistently dropped from 28 in 2012 to 23 in 2024.
In South Asia, Bangladesh has the second-lowest score, just above Afghanistan, with Bhutan being the only country in the region to show improvement.
Denmark topped the CPI 2024 with a score of 90, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84). At the bottom of the list are South Sudan (8), Somalia (9), and Venezuela (10).
Globally, 57 per cent of the 180 countries scored below the global average of 43, and 68 per cent scored below 50. Notably, 47 countries, including Bangladesh, recorded their lowest scores in the past 13 years.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman said Bangladesh's score of 23 is significantly lower than the global average and even below the average for Sub-Saharan Africa, the most corrupt region globally.
He also pointed out that while high-ranking countries may have less corruption in daily life, their legal and financial systems often facilitate money laundering from countries like Bangladesh.
"The responsibility for corruption lies with us, but the reality is that countries benefitting from laundered money also play a role in perpetuating corruption in developing nations," he added.
TIB placed six recommendations, including strengthening the capacity and independence of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). It proposed ensuring the implementation of the ACC Reform Commission's recommendations.
It also recommended enhancing transparency and accountability in public institutions, boosting collaboration among relevant agencies to combat corruption, addressing the culture of impunity, and promoting ethical governance.
Besides, the watchdog recommended influencing the youth's potential to eradicate corruption and building a corruption-free society.
In South Asia, Bhutan improved its score on the index by 4 points, while the remaining seven countries saw a decline.
Sri Lanka experienced the most significant drop, falling six places, followed by Afghanistan, India, and the Maldives, with each of them dropping three places. Bangladesh and Pakistan each fell two places.
The CPI 2024 is based on 13 independent surveys and assessments, including the World Bank's Country Policy and Institutional Assessment, the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey, and the Economist Intelligence Unit's Country Risk Ratings.
For Bangladesh, eight of these sources were used, covering data from November 2021 to September 2024.

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