A poor score in the corruption perception index is a wake-up call

Ranking 146th and scoring 26 out of 100 in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 is a disheartening position for Bangladesh, which is currently on a positive development trajectory. That it has performed worse than the previous year indicates that the malaise of corruption has actually intensified and the government's zero tolerance policy towards corruption is far from being implemented. Bangladesh's score is the second lowest among eight South Asian countries and the fourth lowest among 31 countries in the Asia Pacific region. We are only ahead of war-torn Afghanistan among the South Asian nations in the index.

Corruption has always plagued Bangladesh and acutely hampered its development goals. In many cases it has become institutionalised, affecting vital sectors of the country. Politicisation of key institutions and lack of accountability of those holding positions of power have been major reasons for this surge in graft. Last year when the pandemic started, we saw widespread corruption in the health sector, with horrifying scandals involving fake protective gear and fake Covid-19 tests. We also saw how unscrupulous individuals managed to carry out their illegal activities with the help of political connections. The financial and banking sector has been riddled with default loans, fraud and money laundering, making them weak and vulnerable and actively debilitating our development goals. Again, political connections and lack of accountability were the drivers. Even directives from the Prime Minister to stop corruption in various sectors have gone unheeded.

The role of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has also been a significant factor in our poor performance in the corruption index. As pointed out by TIB, while the ACC has unraveled quite a few cases of corruption by officials or those with political affiliations, it has not played its expected role in bringing high-profile corruption cases to justice by holding the "big fish" accountable.

The shrinking space for media and civil society, the draconian measures to restrict freedom of speech and the deficit of tolerance of dissent has also led to an increase in corruption. Without critics to point out where the corruption is taking place, the government is blindsided and many of its developmental endeavours will go to waste. We can take the example of how relief for the poor during the early months of the pandemic were mismanaged by unscrupulous public officials sabotaging the work of the government. Irregularities in public procurement has always been a big thorn in the flesh for the government, leading to precious resources being wasted and depriving the public of essential services.

The lowering position in the international corruption index should serve as a wake-up call for the government. It can be the catalyst for the government to initiate a shift in political culture and the role of public institutions. Critics, whether in the media or civil society, should be seen as aides and not enemies—as part of the support system that will identify the leakages, bottlenecks, irregularities and criminality within public institutions and organisations. It is only when the faults and cracks are identified that the repairs can be made.