TIB urges govt to focus on practice of integrity in NYP

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) urged the government on Tuesday to focus on promotion and practice of integrity among the youths in national-level policy and programmes.
"Promotion and practice of integrity among the youths should be emphasised more in the National Youth Policy (NYP), and an effective implementation strategy should be developed," TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said at a press briefing while launching the National Youth Integrity Survey Report 2015 in the city.
TIB recommended six recommendations in the report.
He said the role of youth in establishing integrity and preventing corruption should be included in the National Integrity Strategy. The action plan for family mentioned in the strategy should be implemented properly.
Replying to a question, he said the ministers for relief and disaster management and food should resign willingly over the corruption allegations.
"If Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Food Minister Quamrul Islam resign, it will set an example."
The TIB executive director expressed his views that if further investigations prove that they are not responsible, their image would be brightened and the people would accept them.
About National Youth Integrity Survey, he said Bangladeshi youths have clarity of ideas about corruption. They have negative perceptions about politics and law-enforcement agencies. They believe corruption is rampant in these areas.
TIB recommended an effective complaint mechanism against corruption, accessibility and enabling environment for youths.
It said the existing integrity and anti-corruption related sections in the curriculum should be implemented more effectively.
"Corruption should be established as a punishable offence and thus set examples before the youths. The culture of impunity should be stopped."
TIB thinks coordinated programmes and massive awareness campaigns should be initiated involving all stakeholders to encourage and motivate the youths towards integrity.
Chairperson of TIB trustee board Sultana Kamal said the youths are being compelled to accept corruption as a reality.
"They can't apply their values in dealing with corruption," she added.
Mr Iftekharuzzaman said the analysis of survey data indicates that Bangladeshi youths usually adhere to a highly moralistic concept of integrity.  
"Some 97 per cent to 98 per cent of youths surveyed believe that a person of integrity never lies or cheats, never breaks the law, and refuses corruption in every cases."  
However, in response to a more ethically challenging question, around 30 per cent of the youths considered that 'a person of integrity' can still break the laws or keep lying and cheating, if it benefits his or her family.
Around 98 per cent of the surveyed youths describe "lack of integrity" as a serious problem and detrimental to the country's economic and overall development.  
Besides, 92 per cent of them think that being honest is more important than being rich.  
Some 68 per cent respondents opined that honest people have more possibilities to succeed in life than dishonest ones, whereas 32 per cent of them found positive correlation in between corruption and success.
In spite of having a strong moral perception of integrity, a significant portion of the surveyed youths admitted that they would like to participate in corrupt acts for their personal gain.
A significant portion of the youths experienced corruption in last 12 months while entering six different regular public services.
On an average around 21 per cent of the youths experienced corruption in different services. The survey reveals that trust of the youths in public service is fairly low.
Some 86 per cent of the youths have negative impression about the level of integrity in politics, followed by law-enforcing agencies (66 per cent), land administration (65 per cent), and judicial services (57 per cent).
In contrast, 86 per cent of the youths have positive impression about the level of integrity in private business sector, followed by private education (81 per cent), government education (80 per cent), and private health services (77 per cent).
Some 82 per cent of them believed that they can play an important role in integrity-building and fight against corruption through advocacy and changing attitudes.  
Moreover, 80 per cent of the youths surveyed would like to blow the whistle on corruption.  Around 38 per cent of the youths have received an education or followed a specific programme about integrity or anti-corruption.
However, around 89 per cent of them said they have no or very little information and knowledge about anti-corruption laws and regulations.
Survey finding also indicates that family and friends mostly influenced youths in building their views, concept and perception on integrity.
However, no significant variation in findings is found in respect to gender, age group, educational background and living areas etc.
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