Bangladesh’s corruption problem

Corruption is not only bribes and embezzlements. The betrayal of one’s commitment or trust, the breach of financial or material norms of morality is also corruption

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a few weeks ago asked– while addressing the certificate award ceremony among participants of the 60th foundation training course of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city– the new members of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) to work as public servants and not to indulge in corruption and allow apathy in their activities. "Don't indulge in corruption and don't let others to indulge in corruption. You must discharge your duties with honesty as public servants because all of your salaries and allowances come from the hard-earned money of the common people," she said. No one can disagree with the Prime Minister in this regard.
The fact that corruption is eating away at the vitals of Bangladesh’s economy is widely known. Unfortunately, corruption has thrived under virtually all the governments that have been in power in the country. The governments is question have all promised to establish a powerful anti-corruption body. However Bangladeshi politicians, generally speaking are firm believers in the adage “Promise are meant to be broken” and strengthening of the Anti Corruption Commission has never found a place in their actual list of priorities. Of course the powers that be are always ready to utter inane platitudes about the need to curb corruption. The reality is they are not willing to empower the ACC to investigate the higher judiciary, the prime minister's office, or even to effectively pursue the lower-level officials who make life an expensive hell for Indians seeking driving licences, passports and other important documents. Our country has a rather poor record in creating and maintaining institutions that are free off political interventions.
As a matter of fact for most Bangladeshis corruption is “almost expected” more often than not. And this consequently means that much of the time it’s wearingly or grudgingly accepted. Rarely do we see people here exploding with anger at institutionalised corruption.
For many Bangladeshis corruption has apparently assumed the status of fitness, a standard of intelligence, a norm of social worthiness. But it is equally standard and worthy to condemn it. Every one of us has an ‘authentic’ list of another person’s mis­deeds and an equally strong urge to wet our own beak the same way. This combination of practice and dismissal, of doing a thing that we condemn, breeds hypocrisy which serves to perpetuate malpractice. A society that believes in a noble religion but practices the opposite of what it admires has to comfort itself with something big. Our establishment, therefore, promotes and provides exaggerated Islam with rituals like prayers and pilgrimage, which regularly washes the daily accumulated burden of shame and allows us to restart afresh the next morning. Is there a way out, one asks? Yes, every new generation is born clean with innocence and a faith in goodness. They have to carefully forge their way to a future. Studying good societies and asking intelligent questions is a tool to discover the path. Democracy can provide them the stage to play their role. Let us hope they will choose to live and grow with the world of science and creativity which is the only uncorrupted path.
Rampant corruption has made even our traditional friends and regional allies reluctant to invest in Bangladesh. Reeling under political unrest and deteriorating socio-economic conditions this country really needs a break from corruption and widespread nepotism. However the ‘break’ remains as elusive as ever.
It is not too difficult to find out why people get corrupt. Surely nobody is born corrupt nor have the scientists unravelled a ‘corruption gene.’ The reason is to be found in the time tested saying ‘Power corrupts.” Certainly not everyone, but definitely the majority of those who can wield power is prone to corruption.  If a high-ranking cop is offered crores of taka to quash a case, most likely he would accept the bribe. Not just because he can live with his family in luxury for the rest of his life but he is also likely to get away with his action.  
The same thing holds true for bureaucrats in government offices. They are regularly tempted by huge offers of money. Unfortunately very few have the moral fibre to resist the temptation for making easy bucks. Few if any people enter politics with altruistic motives these days. A major attraction for people to enter politics is the chance to make money. Once they succeed in the power game, they are sure to become rich. Many politicians, including student activists and labour leaders live in a manner hardly in keeping with their known source of income.
Corruption is not only bribes and embezzlements. The betrayal of one’s commitment or trust, the breach of financial or material norms of morality is also corruption. Using a holy name for personal or worldly motives can also be corruption. Corruption is a consuming sickness with a strongly contagious character. All of us know that it has disrupted our social and political life.
Corruption is like dodder, the yellow vine that wraps around trees and saps their life. Once it falls on a society it is a curse that grows from one branch to the next and then to the next until nothing remains visible, except a yellow sickness of corruption. Even such guardians of morality as religious and academic institutions become deeply corrupt. The struggle against an evil depends on the ethical standards of a society; it is our response of dismissal or approval that matters. Corrupt attitudes cannot combat corruption. A corrupt supervisor aids corruption by asking his share, thus, adding to the sum total of disaster.
Yet, it is also true most of the time there are attempts by various quarters to put all blames regarding corruption squarely on the politicians. People who are acquainted with our history have to agree that the civil and military bureaucracy have played a ‘stellar’ role in siphoning off the country’s resources.
There is also another school of thought which tries to establish that corruption is a relatively recent phenomenon. This is historically untrue. Institionalised corruption has been around for generations, since even before our Liberation. Nevertheless the fact that it has grown in depth and reach indicates that this unwelcome phenomenon it is not about to go away any time soon.
We cannot deny that according to the strict definition of the term the common people of this country are also corrupt. With the system being what it is they have no option but to indulge in some form of corruption. It is a matter of survival.
The common man has to be corrupt so that he can survive. The purchasing power of the taka has gone down drastically. On the other hand prices of all essentials are going up. The bribe giver is always in a precarious position. He knows that if he tries to expose the bribe taker, he may be punished himself since the laws are made by the bribe taker. Any potential whistle-blower is at a grave risk. He knows that the system he is trying to expose can strike him down since all power and legitimacy is with the powerful corrupt politician or bureaucrat. The reality is that the costs of not giving bribe is to lose out on whatever one wants or suffer long delays and harassment before one gets it.
Ironically the menace of corruption has surged manifold under the democratic governments that has been in power since the 1990 mass upsurge. This indeed is a matter of grave concern to this country which is already plagued by the political violence, inflation and general instability. And even more alarming is the fact that a culture has developed which believes that there is nothing wrong in being corrupt and it is the done thing. When virtually everyone is corrupt, corruption obviously becomes the norm.  
Corruption is a method and a technique adopted just to bypass the rule of law and engulfing the whole system into socio-economic turmoil. Furthermore, corruption, being the mother of all ills, gives birth to multifarious problems including nepotism, favouritism and negating meritocracy, transparency and accountability. It is an established fact that the cruelty shows its influence as the rule of law is abrogated. Banking scams, industrialist's monopoly to create baseless crises, bypassing the constitutional supremacy, lavish living styles of the ruling class, foreign tours under the head of national exchequer, general apathy, neglect, carelessness and an attitude of indifference towards national issues are all the outcomes of corruption which is root cause of all evils in the country. The poor are sidelined, the rich are bestowed, the needy are ignored and the affluent are delivered. However, the story does not end here. The socio economic situation is much more dubious and gloomy than as expected. Lack of accountability is an outcome of nepotism and favouritism. How can a corrupt person be held accountable by a corrupt authority? All in all the entire unfortunate system is prone to the monster of corruption.
In such dismal state of affairs, the question of accountability does not arise. Only lucrative and emotionally charged speeches and pledges can never come up to the expectations of the people. Rule of law is the only option that can pave way for accountability.

The writer is Assistant Editor of The Independent and can be contacted at: [email protected]

Bangladeshs corruption problem

Corruption is not only bribes and embezzlements. The betrayal of ones commitment or trust, the breach of financial or material norms of morality is also corruption

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a few weeks ago asked while addressing the certificate award ceremony among participants of the 60th foundation training course of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city the new members of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) to work as public servants and not to indulge in corruption and allow apathy in their activities. Dont indulge in corruption and dont let others to indulge in corruption. You must discharge your duties with honesty as public servants because all of your salaries and allowances come from the hard-earned money of the common people, she said. No one can disagree with the Prime Minister in this regard. The fact that corruption is eating away at the vitals of Bangladeshs economy is widely known. Unfortunately, corruption has thrived under virtually all the governments that have been in power in the country. The governments is question have all promised to establish a powerful anti-corruption body. However Bangladeshi politicians, generally speaking are firm believers in the adage Promise are meant to be broken and strengthening of the Anti Corruption Commission has never found a place in their actual list of priorities. Of course the powers that be are always ready to utter inane platitudes about the need to curb corruption. The reality is they are not willing to empower the ACC to investigate the higher judiciary, the prime ministers office, or even to effectively pursue the lower-level officials who make life an expensive hell for Indians seeking driving licences, passports and other important documents. Our country has a rather poor record in creating and maintaining institutions that are free off political interventions. As a matter of fact for most Bangladeshis corruption is almost expected more often than not. And this consequently means that much of the time its wearingly or grudgingly accepted. Rarely do we see people here exploding with anger at institutionalised corruption. For many Bangladeshis corruption has apparently assumed the status of fitness, a standard of intelligence, a norm of social worthiness. But it is equally standard and worthy to condemn it. Every one of us has an authentic list of another persons misdeeds and an equally strong urge to wet our own beak the same way. This combination of practice and dismissal, of doing a thing that we condemn, breeds hypocrisy which serves to perpetuate malpractice. A society that believes in a noble religion but practices the opposite of what it admires has to comfort itself with something big. Our establishment, therefore, promotes and provides exaggerated Islam with rituals like prayers and pilgrimage, which regularly washes the daily accumulated burden of shame and allows us to restart afresh the next morning. Is there a way out, one asks? Yes, every new generation is born clean with innocence and a faith in goodness. They have to carefully forge their way to a future. Studying good societies and asking intelligent questions is a tool to discover the path. Democracy can provide them the stage to play their role. Let us hope they will choose to live and grow with the world of science and creativity which is the only uncorrupted path. Rampant corruption has made even our traditional friends and regional allies reluctant to invest in Bangladesh. Reeling under political unrest and deteriorating socio-economic conditions this country really needs a break from corruption and widespread nepotism. However the break remains as elusive as ever. It is not too difficult to find out why people get corrupt. Surely nobody is born corrupt nor have the scientists unravelled a corruption gene. The reason is to be found in the time tested saying Power corrupts. Certainly not everyone, but definitely the majority of those who can wield power is prone to corruption. If a high-ranking cop is offered crores of taka to quash a case, most likely he would accept the bribe. Not just because he can live with his family in luxury for the rest of his life but he is also likely to get away with his action. The same thing holds true for bureaucrats in government offices. They are regularly tempted by huge offers of money. Unfortunately very few have the moral fibre to resist the temptation for making easy bucks. Few if any people enter politics with altruistic motives these days. A major attraction for people to enter politics is the chance to make money. Once they succeed in the power game, they are sure to become rich. Many politicians, including student activists and labour leaders live in a manner hardly in keeping with their known source of income. Corruption is not only bribes and embezzlements. The betrayal of ones commitment or trust, the breach of financial or material norms of morality is also corruption. Using a holy name for personal or worldly motives can also be corruption. Corruption is a consuming sickness with a strongly contagious character. All of us know that it has disrupted our social and political life. Corruption is like dodder, the yellow vine that wraps around trees and saps their life. Once it falls on a society it is a curse that grows from one branch to the next and then to the next until nothing remains visible, except a yellow sickness of corruption. Even such guardians of morality as religious and academic institutions become deeply corrupt. The struggle against an evil depends on the ethical standards of a society; it is our response of dismissal or approval that matters. Corrupt attitudes cannot combat corruption. A corrupt supervisor aids corruption by asking his share, thus, adding to the sum total of disaster. Yet, it is also true most of the time there are attempts by various quarters to put all blames regarding corruption squarely on the politicians. People who are acquainted with our history have to agree that the civil and military bureaucracy have played a stellar role in siphoning off the countrys resources. There is also another school of thought which tries to establish that corruption is a relatively recent phenomenon. This is historically untrue. Institionalised corruption has been around for generations, since even before our Liberation. Nevertheless the fact that it has grown in depth and reach indicates that this unwelcome phenomenon it is not about to go away any time soon. We cannot deny that according to the strict definition of the term the common people of this country are also corrupt. With the system being what it is they have no option but to indulge in some form of corruption. It is a matter of survival. The common man has to be corrupt so that he can survive. The purchasing power of the taka has gone down drastically. On the other hand prices of all essentials are going up. The bribe giver is always in a precarious position. He knows that if he tries to expose the bribe taker, he may be punished himself since the laws are made by the bribe taker. Any potential whistle-blower is at a grave risk. He knows that the system he is trying to expose can strike him down since all power and legitimacy is with the powerful corrupt politician or bureaucrat. The reality is that the costs of not giving bribe is to lose out on whatever one wants or suffer long delays and harassment before one gets it. Ironically the menace of corruption has surged manifold under the democratic governments that has been in power since the 1990 mass upsurge. This indeed is a matter of grave concern to this country which is already plagued by the political violence, inflation and general instability. And even more alarming is the fact that a culture has developed which believes that there is nothing wrong in being corrupt and it is the done thing. When virtually everyone is corrupt, corruption obviously becomes the norm. Corruption is a method and a technique adopted just to bypass the rule of law and engulfing the whole system into socio-economic turmoil. Furthermore, corruption, being the mother of all ills, gives birth to multifarious problems including nepotism, favouritism and negating meritocracy, transparency and accountability. It is an established fact that the cruelty shows its influence as the rule of law is abrogated. Banking scams, industrialists monopoly to create baseless crises, bypassing the constitutional supremacy, lavish living styles of the ruling class, foreign tours under the head of national exchequer, general apathy, neglect, carelessness and an attitude of indifference towards national issues are all the outcomes of corruption which is root cause of all evils in the country. The poor are sidelined, the rich are bestowed, the needy are ignored and the affluent are delivered. However, the story does not end here. The socio economic situation is much more dubious and gloomy than as expected. Lack of accountability is an outcome of nepotism and favouritism. How can a corrupt person be held accountable by a corrupt authority? All in all the entire unfortunate system is prone to the monster of corruption. In such dismal state of affairs, the question of accountability does not arise. Only lucrative and emotionally charged speeches and pledges can never come up to the expectations of the people. Rule of law is the only option that can pave way for accountability. The writer is Assistant Editor of The Independent and can be contacted at: [email protected]