Our anti-corruption capacity is hostage to power
Positions of power acquired through various means have long been allowed to be treated as a licence for self-enrichment through various illicit means.
2w ago
IMF’s conditions on governance and corruption - rhetoric or reality?
The key to the ACC’s effectiveness in delivering its mandate is independence, especially when setting the example that, in handling allegations of corruption, it is guided by equality before law, and not by the status or identity of the individual depending on their political, governmental, or other connections.
CPI 2022: Disappointing global and Bangladesh performances
CPI 2022 shows how corruption, conflict and insecurity are interrelated and feed each other.
Can a bureaucrat-reliant ACC really be independent?
The recent decision to empower the secretary does not bode well for the Anti-Corruption Commission
New decision will diminish ACC's authority
The ACC has delegated the power to its secretaries to decide on the transfer and promotion of its deputy directors and assistant directors.
Another year of missed opportunities against corruption
High-level pledges against corruption continued to be reiterated in 2022, as in the past several years.
Salvage the banking sector, unmask the kingpins
As a result of the game of secrecy of the real beneficiaries, those involved in banking sector corruption and money laundering have hardly been brought to justice.
The unjust and discriminatory face of corruption
The cost of grand corruption in Bangladesh is only continuing to go up.
Taking loans v tackling laundering: Which serves our long-term interests best?
Fighting tax evasion, preventing trade-based illicit financial outflows and ending the culture of money laundering and loan defaults is a much more sustainable solution to adding to foreign exchange reserves than taking foreign loans on interest.
Anti-Discrimination Bill 2022: Can it fit the purpose?
The draft Anti-Discrimination Bill 2022 was placed in parliament on April 5, 2022. Long years of civil society engagement and advocacy with the government have catalysed this initiative.
Draft mass media employees bill: Towards stricter control?
The draft Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill, placed in parliament on April 1, 2022, is a long-overdue initiative.
Why wait for a deadly war to act against kleptocrats?
Two weeks after the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, how it may eventually evolve remains uncertain, given Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s apparent mission of neutralising the neighbour—which could imply virtual annexation.
Can ACC salvage its self-inflicted reputational damage?
Since its creation in 2004, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has always faced trust and credibility issues.
Tackling corruption for inclusive development
Bangladesh has transformed from a war-ravaged, resource-starved and acutely poverty-stricken least developed country (LDC) at independence in 1971, into a low middle income country by 2015.
Disappointing CPI score: What trajectory is Bangladesh on?
The Transparency International (TI) released its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2021 on January 25, 2022.
Can illicit financial transfers be controlled?
According to the latest report of the US-based NGO Global Financial Integrity (GFI) on trade-based illicit financial transfers, between 2009 and 2018, Bangladesh lost a staggering USD 8.275 billion (Tk 71,000 crore) per year, on average, through misinvoicing in export and import trade.
Expand space for accountability to control corruption
December 9 is observed as the International Anti-corruption Day (IACD). On this day in 2003, the United Nations called upon governments and peoples of the world to mark the adoption of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).
Bangladesh needs to upgrade its defence integrity structure
The Berlin-based Transparency International released its “Government Defence Integrity (GDI) Index 2020” on November 16, 2021.
Socio-political evils of corruption: Not everything is lost yet
Bangladesh is often mentioned as a development dilemma for its commendable performance in terms of GDP growth and socio-economic indicators on the one hand, that on the other, contrasts strikingly with pervasive corruption and poor performance in nearly every governance indicator.
A disappointing performance once again
On January 28, 2021, Transparency International released its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2020. In the index, Bangladesh has scored 26 out of 100, the same as in 2019.
Political contents of corruption and anti-corruption in Bangladesh
The coronavirus pandemic has been converted into a festival of corruption in the health sector in Bangladesh. Crises like these do increase the risk of corruption everywhere in the world. However, there is perhaps no other country where corruption has been found to be as awkwardly pervasive as in Bangladesh.
Why does money laundering enjoy impunity in Bangladesh?
The Swiss Banking authorities published their annual update on deposits of foreign nationals, including Bangladeshis, on June 25. It shows 603.2 million Swiss Francs or Tk 5,367 crores invested by Bangladeshis, which is 2.38 percent less than that in 2019.
Mainstreaming anti-corruption in statecraft
The enthusiastic national celebrations of the Mujib Year have the potential of a great historical value in many different ways.
Voting in an intimidated and monopolised space
By all credible indications, voting in the two city corporations of the capital has taken place in an uneven playing field—an electoral space that has been intimidatingly patrolled to ensure its monopolisation.
Do we have the political will to improve?
Transparency International (TI) released its Corruption Perception Index 2019 on January 23, 2020. Bangladesh has scored 26 out of 100, the same as in 2018.
A synopsis of the battle against corruption in 2019
The year 2019 was essentially business as usual in terms of corruption in Bangladesh, as it continued to a be challenge of ever-increasing concern except for two notable features that drew public attention.
Unveiling the limits of anti-corruption drive
Media interest on the recently launched high-profile anti-corruption drive appears to be on the wane thanks to many competing issues.
What lessons can Bangladesh learn from the Swiss model?
It is well known even the least successful example of democracy is better than no democracy. This is because at the core of democratic principles, is accountability of the government to the people. Although no one size fits all, and depending on historical experiences, cultural, social, political and developmental context, there can be many different ways of progression towards democracy, accountability or checks and balances are the key word in the process.
Anti-Corruption Commission: How can it be truly effective?
A policy of zero tolerance against corruption announced by the prime minister is at the core of the election manifesto of the Awami
Bangladesh descends in corruption ranking
Transparency International (TI) released its Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2018 on January 29, 2019. Bangladesh has scored 26 out of 100, two points lower than the 28 in 2017. The slide is worse in terms of ranking. Bangladesh has been ranked in the 149th position from the top among 180 countries, which is six steps lower than the 143rd in 2017.
Is 'anti-corruption' only rhetoric or also a reality?
December 9 is observed as the International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) to mark the adoption of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2003.
It could have been better
Bangladesh has scored 28 on a scale of 0-100 according to the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2017 released by Transparency International (TI) on February 22, 2018. The score is two points higher than that of 2016, which ranked Bangladesh 17th from below, two steps better than the previous year's position of 15th. Counting from the top we are at 143, which is also an improvement of two steps from 2016.
Promoting transparency
The government of Bangladesh recognises combating corruption as critical to progress towards realising the Perspective Plan - Vision 2021, the 7th Five Year Plan (7FYP) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We deserve better
Bangladesh has scored 26 on a scale of 0-100 according to the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2016 released by Transparency International (TI) on January 25, 2017.
Corruption control–is it feasible or a fantasy?
Under SDG target 16.5, Bangladesh is under obligation to “substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms”
We can do better
According to the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2015 released by Transparency International (TI) on January 27, 2016, Bangladesh has scored 25 in a scale of 100, same as last year and two points less than 2013.
Corruption and political instability: A threat to security?
“Under former President Moi, his Kalenjin tribesmen ate. Now it's our turn to eat," so said politicians and civil servants belonging to the then newly elected Kenyan president Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe in January 2003 to John Githongo, Minister for Governance and Ethics.
Directives against CHT
THE Government of Bangladesh, the Ministry of Home in particular, has come up with a set of directives concerning the indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) that are contradictory to the 1997 Peace Accord and detrimental to the core values and spirit of the country's Liberation War and independence.
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