Corruption results from lack of good governance

Speakers at a discussion yesterday blamed lack of good governance and lack of implementation of Right to Information (RTI) Act for corruption in the country.
If the RTI act did work effectively in Bangladesh, corruption would reduce by 50 percent, said Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna.
“The act could bring more successes if political leaders were more conscious about it,” he told the discussion on "Alternative Path to Good Governance: Insights for Bangladesh" in the capital's Brac University.
He suggested increasing engagement of NGOs alongside government institutions in enforcing and implementing the RTI act, which came into force in 2009.
Former adviser to a caretaker government M Hafizuddin Khan viewed that good governance was not ensured because there was no political will.
The Padma bridge project is not being implemented properly due to allegations of corruption, and that is because of lack of good governance, he said.
Hafizuddin said unlike India, the RTI act was very weak in Bangladesh.
Institute of Governance Studies (IGS), a research body of Brac University, organised the discussion to project the objectives of its ongoing research on good governance.
The research work will encompass four sectors--healthcare, RTI, banking, and information and communication technology, said IGS lead researcher Ashikur Rahman.