TIB's findings on corruption
Friday, 20 June 2008
TRANSPARENCY International Bangladesh (TIB), the local chapter of the Berlin-based international anti-graft watchdog, released last Wednesday the findings of its latest, 'National Household Survey 2007' on corruption in Bangladesh. The very notable thing about this TIB report is that it finds no major overall decline in the extent or intensity of the incidence of corruption in the sampled sectors. Corruption incidents appear to have declined somewhat in some previously identified most corruption-infested sectors such as law enforcement agencies and the judiciary while the same rose sharply in other sectors like education, health and land administration. However, law enforcement agencies were still on the top of the corruption list. Thus, the view of the TIB Chairman, Professor Muzaffar Ahmed, is that the overall picture of corruption in the country remains unchanged in extent and intensity from that of past years. He gave his personal view that the incidence of petty corruption rather rose significantly during the period under review. This may be interpreted to mean that there may have been some improvements in high level incidents of corruption. The purport of the latest TIB report is that the corruption-related demands made on people in their interactions with various service-delivery sectors are more or less the same.
The TIB Chairman has also underlined on the occasion of the release of the report that there are no quick fixes to the complex problem of corruption. It cannot be just wished away or be dealt with in swift surgical methods. Therefore, the cure to corruption lies in systematic, gradual and painstaking efforts to be made over a period of time to chip away progressively the long accumulated blocks of corruption in different sectors. Specially, it needs recognition that corruption curbing cannot be either a swift amputation-like activity nor can it be a top-down approach. The greatest need here is to appreciate the fact that operational methods of institutions, systems in which public officials interact with the citizens, governmental policies, etc., are the factors which facilitate mostly the retention of corruption in public life. Thus, changes in systems in a planned manner over time, can have the most impact against corruption on a sustainable basis. In this context, the enforcement of e-governance can lead to limiting the scope for corruption. Introduction of procedural changes and functional systems are also important for creating strong barriers to it. Institutional reforms in areas of such as judiciary and the police and promotion of effectiveness of parliament and its committees can have similar long-standing effects on corruption.
All such matters do ultimately relate to governance. Here, the TIB report does not find any improvement in the quality of governance. That is the crux of the matter relating to the problem of endemic corruption in Bangladesh. Individuals may be tried and convicted on grounds of corruption. But as long as the system remains unchanged, there will be a new set of people against whom corruption charges will be framed for their punishment. Meanwhile, giving of realistic financial compensation packages to public employees will be considered a realistic step for reducing the temptation for corruption under the given socio-economic conditions in the country. However, the same must be buttressed by creating a well enforced accountability structure for public employees also to account for what they do or do not do. For that matter, righsizing of the government merits a serious consideration.
The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) is now a stronger and more effective body compared to any time in the past. But there is a need to further strengthen its institutional capacity. This body does need to give its focused, not defused, attention to the corruption-related matters, by following transparent rules and regulations and taking the hard realities of socio-economic life in Bangladesh into consideration.
The TIB Chairman has also underlined on the occasion of the release of the report that there are no quick fixes to the complex problem of corruption. It cannot be just wished away or be dealt with in swift surgical methods. Therefore, the cure to corruption lies in systematic, gradual and painstaking efforts to be made over a period of time to chip away progressively the long accumulated blocks of corruption in different sectors. Specially, it needs recognition that corruption curbing cannot be either a swift amputation-like activity nor can it be a top-down approach. The greatest need here is to appreciate the fact that operational methods of institutions, systems in which public officials interact with the citizens, governmental policies, etc., are the factors which facilitate mostly the retention of corruption in public life. Thus, changes in systems in a planned manner over time, can have the most impact against corruption on a sustainable basis. In this context, the enforcement of e-governance can lead to limiting the scope for corruption. Introduction of procedural changes and functional systems are also important for creating strong barriers to it. Institutional reforms in areas of such as judiciary and the police and promotion of effectiveness of parliament and its committees can have similar long-standing effects on corruption.
All such matters do ultimately relate to governance. Here, the TIB report does not find any improvement in the quality of governance. That is the crux of the matter relating to the problem of endemic corruption in Bangladesh. Individuals may be tried and convicted on grounds of corruption. But as long as the system remains unchanged, there will be a new set of people against whom corruption charges will be framed for their punishment. Meanwhile, giving of realistic financial compensation packages to public employees will be considered a realistic step for reducing the temptation for corruption under the given socio-economic conditions in the country. However, the same must be buttressed by creating a well enforced accountability structure for public employees also to account for what they do or do not do. For that matter, righsizing of the government merits a serious consideration.
The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) is now a stronger and more effective body compared to any time in the past. But there is a need to further strengthen its institutional capacity. This body does need to give its focused, not defused, attention to the corruption-related matters, by following transparent rules and regulations and taking the hard realities of socio-economic life in Bangladesh into consideration.