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Corruption--- ranking and reality
Shamsul Huq Zahid
10/24/2005
BANGLADESH has been rated for the fifth time in a row the most corrupt country along with an African country -- Chad -- by the Transparency International (TI), the Berlin-based global anti-graft watchdog. As expected, the TI announcement has evoked a flurry of comments and analyses --- both political and apolitical in nature -- as if, everybody was expecting this kind of disclosure in the case of Bangladesh.
But was the situation any better before? It is not easy to give an answer to this question. Most people would claim that corruption was not as pervasive as it is now. The retired government servants would claim that corruption among the officials is much more widespread now than before, when the relative value of incomes and other benefits was much higher. These all are notional claims.
The reality is that well before Bangladesh's topping the TI's list of most corrupt nations, the situation here was not any better so far as corruption is concerned. The common people had to bribe the police for lodging a complaint or grease the palms of the government and other public sector agencies. Only difference is that the amount of bribe money that is involved now has gone up in size. Such a hike is quite natural if it is considered in terms of depreciation in the value of Taka vis-à-vis the Greenback and the rise in the cost of living index. Besides, corruption in public procurement has always been there.
In sum, the stigma that the country has received for five consecutive years by the courtesy of the TI, has actually been overdue for long. Both during pre-independence and post-independence days, officials and politicians in power used to make money in thousands and lakhs. They are now earning in crores. There is however a basic difference. Earlier, the corrupt officials used to be ostracized by colleagues, friends and relatives. That situation has changed radically. The society is now more tolerant of corrupt elements. The members of the family and friends now find it legitimate to plunder public resources in the absence of either sufficient official income or predictable profit. Rather any individual who allows opportunities to make undue income slip away draws criticism from family members, relatives and friends for his 'foolish' act.
Now in what way is the TI helping Bangladesh by publishing its CPI (corruption perception index) index? Globally, the country has been stigmatized for five consecutive years. No doubt, the people of Bangladesh are becoming increasingly aware of the problem of corruption. So what? Has there been any change in attitude or any official move to combat this social vice that has eaten into the vitals of the country?
It might appear a bit pessimistic but the fact remains that the situation would continue to deteriorate. The malaise has gone much deeper than many would think. Corruption is bound to dominate when everything the people need is in short supply. Take the case of power, water, land, jobs, healthcare, infrastructure etc. Under such circumstances those who regulate the distribution of all these facilities would continue to make money.
One can at best imagine the instant reaction of the members of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) when the electronic media first broke the news about Bangladesh topping the list of most corruption nations. They might have felt embarrassed when their own family members threw an inquisitive look at them. A sense of frustration might also have gripped them for not being able to do anything tangible to combat corruption. To be honest, the ACC has belied the initial expectation of the people. The ruling class comprising politicians and bureaucrats wanted the ACC to be a lame duck organisation. And they have been successful in the mission. Why should they take unnecessary risk by constituting an efficient and truly anti-graft body?
The most interesting reaction comes from the major political parties which swap their positions in the power matrix through general elections. When the country was ranked at the top of the list of most corrupt nations for the first time in 2001, the BNP, then in opposition, had raised a lot of hullabaloo about it. But after that it has been BNP's turn to take the heat. For understandable reasons, the reaction of the Awami League (AL) has not been that strong. Next time if power goes to the AL, the BNP might forget to give any reaction if the country is adjudged the most corrupt nation. Both the parties are the birds of the same feather. They hardly try to implement what they preach publicly and, apparently, have a tacit understanding among the corrupt sections of the party leaders in the matters of rent seeking and plundering public resources.
The multilateral donors do take a lot of criticism for dictating terms on the aid-recipients. But there are certain conditions that are basically aimed at improving governance and reducing corruption in a poor developing country like Bangladesh. For instance, the ACC has come into effect at the insistence of the donors. But they cannot dictate the government in the all the matters of the ACC. Again, at the insistence of the World Bank, the government first framed the Public Procurement Rules in 2003. But when most ministries started flouting those rules in the matters of procurement, the WB advised the government to transform the rules into an Act. But that made the government uncomfortable and it resorted to the usual foot dragging. Once the Public Procurement Act is adopted by the parliament, much of the irregularities in public procurement are expected to be removed. However, one cannot be sure about anything in this country in the absence of strong leadership that is truly committed to the well-being of the common people.
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