Corruption is gaining ground in Bangladesh because of the administrative and institutional weaknesses and it is not possible to remove it overnight by the efforts of an individual or institution rather it needs the government’s willingness, Transparency International (TI) chairperson Jose Ugaz has said.  
In an interview with The Independent yesterday, Ugaz was asked about his views on Bangladesh’s stance on corruption and what he thinks about the Awami League-led government’s endeavour in fulfilling its election manifesto where the party promised a strong stand against graft.
According to Ugaz the situation has began to improve when Bangladesh was at the bottom in terms of anti-graft barometer. “However, the world community became anxious when Bangladesh dropped two places down from 27 in the corruption index in 2015. This is a bad record out of 100 countries. It means corruption is a part of the state structure in developing countries. It’s a methodological propensity,” he said.  
We believe concerted efforts can resist it, he said, adding that when one section of the government was working to prevent corruption, it should be ensured that the other government components work on complementing the anti-graft initiative rather than antagonising it.
People want to see that the officials engaged in preventing corruption were investigating the activities of the corrupt persons, going to court with proven information, and the perpetrators were being tried in the court and getting punishment, he said.
Ugaz also said that the institutional reforms and culture should be changed so that people can believe that corruption is not a general and daily affair.
“So the infrastructural and cultural changes are imperative so that people can believe that they have right to live properly because corruption increases poverty and it makes people’s fundamental rights like education and health services difficult. Corruption hurts people mentally and the poor are mainly affected,” observed Ugaz.
“I think the government has to take a concerted strategy to prevent corruption and the judiciary and administration have to be active so that none can get spared after committing corruption,” said anti-graft watchdog chief.  
In reply to another query on how much independent and credible the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh was, Ugaz said he has heard that the current chairman of the ACC was a very stalwart person who likes to work independently and that he has a desire to do something.
“But, I would say that a single person or a single institution cannot do everything. All the authorities and the whole society must come forward in this regard,” he said.
According to the TI chief, the ACC has to concentrate its focus on specific cases and that, most importantly, the government’s willingness must be imperative in this regard.
The prime minister’s stringent steps and role of the civil society is necessary to prevent the methodological corruption, he stated. Drawing attention to the Bangladesh government’s expression of non-confidence about the recent Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) reports and the government’s criticism about the TIB’s finance, Ugaz was asked about his observation in this regard.
He replied that it was natural that the TI and TIB generally work as observers of an authority. We do supervision and monitoring when something does not run properly and most of the authorities do not like it, he said.
“But, the TI and TIB appreciate the authority when it works properly,” he said. We encourage and assist to run the matter as well. “The TI and its Bangladesh chapter are not here to embarrass the government rather the anti-graft watchdog has come here to assist the government’s good decisions to reduce corruption. It just wants to give a message to the government and the proper authority that it is not their enemy rather corruption and corrupt people are the enemy of the government,” the TI chief said.  We open our mouths when one thing does not go on smoothly or attempts are taken to hide information, gag freedom of speech or the speech of the society, he said.
The TI only indicates what is wrong, as it believes in democracy and that there was freedom of speech and opinions, Jose Ugaz said.
Asked about the role of the TI in steering the TIB to review different economic sectors in Bangladesh, he said that the TIB itself would determine what subjects would be reviewed here.
“It would not come from outside. The TIB works with all matters relating to corruption following the international standards. The activities of the TIB are also monitored to prevent corruption. We are satisfied with the transparency and success of the TIB’s work,” asserted the TI chairperson.