Bangladesh's CPI ranking dips

BANGLADESH has descended on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) from its earlier rank at 16th to 14th this year. Based on Berlin-based international anti-graft watchdog Transparency International (TI)'s global survey, scoring 25, which is 2 points less than last year's 27, Bangladesh is now the 145th most corrupt nation among 177 countries of the world.  

Seeing that Bangladesh had been performing better since it reached its nadir on the CPI index between 2001 and 2005, there is reason to be concerned about this  latest report of a reversal. Tracing it mainly to corruption committed at the political and administrative level in a collective manner, civil society members including from TI, Bangladesh chapter, blamed it mainly on the failure of the statutory and constitutional bodies like parliament, ACC, human rights bodies and so on to deliver.  Regrettably, the government's  denial mode in the face of reports on administrative corruption whether coming from the media or from local or international research bodies like TI has provided a kind of impunity to those liable for the evil practice. Small wonder unlike any other country, the common people are at the receiving end, thanks to the high level of tolerance towards corruption by those in authority.

The only answer to this stifling, unacceptable situation is the government's political will to change. To begin with it must free law-enforcing agencies from political influence and allow judiciary, ACC and all other statutory bodies to function without undue interference from the executive.