TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL - BANGLADESH

Ideas Paper - Input for Strategic Planning

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

I. BACKGROUND

II. BRIEF HISTORY OF TI

III. BRIEF HISTORY OF TIB

IV. MISSION AND VISION OF TIB

V. INITIAL WORK

VI. STRATEGIC APPROACHES

VII. POSSIBLE FUTURE PROGRAMS

VIII. SECTORAL FOCUS

IX. TIMELINE

X. INSTITUTIONAL AND STAFFING IMPLICATIONS

XI. FUNDING NEEDS

XII. KEY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

XIII. IMPLICATIONS FOR STRATEGIC PLANNERS

APPENDIX

I. BACKGROUND

In December 1997 the Bangladesh chapter of Transparency International (TIB) held a press conference to publicize the results of a survey conducted throughout the country regarding the extent, nature, intensity, and sectors involved in corruption. The survey documented what many people had suspected all along: that many sectors of the country, including the police, judiciary, land registration offices, health clinics, and schools, operated only if individuals paid bribes to the civil servants working in these sectors. There was overwhelming response to this survey by the press, non-government organizations, the business community, donors, and government officials. Most of the reaction has been positive and supportive. The groups in the country who understand and experience the negative effects of corruption and wish to eradicate it have been encouraged by the scientific evidence that documents the extent and nature of this severe problem. Donors have come forward interested in funding programs planned by TIB, NGOs are interested in partnering with TIB, and leaders in business, education, journalism and other fields are approaching TIB for more information and to find areas in which to help.

In the face of such interest and the opening of new opportunities, TIB wants to sketch out a vision for its future role, identify core mission components, and general programming options as identified to date. The TIB's Board of Trustees and Executive Director have discussed various options and possibilities amongst themselves and with interested persons, and taken the view that this was the time to put all of the ideas down on paper, at least in a general way. In order to have a thorough understanding of potential directions for the future and the challenges that must be addressed to make the possibilities a reality. TIB's active Executive Director has made special efforts to invoke responses from concern persons at all levels. The current report documents various options, outlines strategic approaches, and describes other key concerns and issues.

This preliminary document will assist in further engagement with key stakeholders within and outside TIB and donors. The various ideas, approaches, issues and concerns must be discussed more thoroughly and decisions must be reached in order for TIB's work to be effective. This document will identify potential areas to be included in a more comprehensive strategic planning exercise which will be held at a later date.

II. BRIEF HISTORY OF TI

Transparency International (TI) was chartered in 1993 primarily out of concern for the ineffectiveness and waste of aid sent from developed nations to developing nations, particularly in Africa. Interested and knowledgeable persons such as Dr. Peter Eigen, General Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Kamal Hossain, joined together to respond to the corruption that they believed was responsible for the ineffectiveness of the aid flow. At first their objectives were considered to be too radical and idealistic, but as the international political and economic environment has changed, Transparency International's goals for more efficient, less corrupt governance have found greater favor.

Transparency International began by emphasizing the building of a coalition against corruption in international business transactions. Those initially involved in TI observed that frequently businesspersons from developed countries sought to close deals by bribing political officials of developing nations. Incentives to continue this behavior existed in developed countries, as businesspersons in many nations are allowed to write off these bribes as legitimate tax deductions in their home countries. The charter members of TI recognized that corruption, therefore, can be both systemic and bilateral. In their view, only a truly international organization with people from many different countries, both developed and developing, could hope to tackle such widespread, systemic problems.

In order to address this kind of fundamental corruption, TI emphasizes various strategies, including coalition building with like-minded individuals and groups, working with journalists to call attention to corruption and pressure government to change, and public support of those who are undertaking their jobs without resorting to corruption. For example, TI has developed the concept of "islands of integrity," in which they draw attention to individuals or businesses who are doing their work without engaging in bribery. With encouragement from TI, these individuals or businesses make a public commitment to continue to work without bribes, or to disclose their actions if they do resort to bribes. This strategy seeks to gain the support of actors on both sides of the equation -- business people from developed countries as well as officials of developing countries with whom they do business -- to agree to maintain the integrity of a corruption-free process.

TI has expanded rapidly by encouraging the emergence of national chapters, which are free to set their own agendas. Individuals in various countries are identified by the parent office in Berlin and briefed on the organization's goals. If these individuals invite TI members to support their efforts to establish an autonomous chapter, then the chapter is formed. There are only two restrictions placed on each national chapter's approach: 1) that it does not focus on individual cases of corruption and thereby avoids "finger pointing"; and 2) that it does not align itself with any particular political group or party. TI believes these restrictions avoid making enemies by singling out specific cases or persons or by taking sides in political struggles, and instead encourage building coalitions with like-minded people. Currently there are approximately eighty national chapters throughout the world.

III. BRIEF HISTORY OF TIB

Transparency International Bangladesh came into being as a Trust in 1996 sometime after a visit by Dr. Peter Eigen to Bangladesh in August 1994 upon an invitation extended by Dr. Kamal Hossain, a Founder Member and Vice-Chairperson of Transparency International. At Dr. Kamal Hossain's initiative, Dr. Eigen worked in a close partnership with Mr. Tawfique Nawaz, out of Mr. Newaz's office for 7 days to consider the feasibility of supporting a national chapter in Bangladesh, and indeed, the first of its kind in South Asia. Of the many steps Dr. Eigen and Mr. Nawaz took, meetings were held with the much respected late Attorney General, Mr. Aminul Haque, a campaigner against corruption all his life, Mr. Sultanuzzaman Khan, Chairman, Securities Exchange Commission, Mr. S.A.M.S. Kibria and Mr.Syed Humayun Kabir. Dr. Eigen was able to draw support from the Government of Bangladesh following his meetings with Mr. Saifur Rahman, the then Finance Minister, and Mr. Shamsul Islam, the then Commerce Minister. In a widely attended meeting organised at the Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs (BILIA) it would seem that the mission and objectives of Transparency International could be achieved in Bangladesh. At that meeting Dr. Eigen met Professor Muzaffar Ahmed, and Kazi Aminul Huque. Dr. Kamal Hossain had earlier, upon Dr. Eigen's arrival in Bangladesh, hosted a dinner on behalf of Transparency International and introduced Mr. Peter Eigen to members of the Government and a distinguished cross section of civil society in Bangladesh.

During Dr. Eiger's visit, and in the light of discussions held between Dr. Eigen, Dr. Kamal Hossain and Mr. Tawfique Nawaz, Syed Humayun Kabir and Mr. Nawaz worked in close co-operation to establish Transparency International in Bangladesh.

Having been denied establishment as a Registered Society under the Registration Societies Act, 1860 for reasons best known to the Registrar of Societies and albeit untenable in law, Syed Humayun Kabir and Mr. Tawfique Nawaz considered an alternative format, that of creating a Trust and

became Settlors of the said Trust. Mr. Kabir and Mr. Nawaz continued as Trustees in the capacity of Founder Chairperson and Founder Secretary-General and invited as Trustees (1) Professor Khan Sarwar Murshid, (2) Professor Muzzafer Ahmad, (3) Mr. Samson H. Chowdhury, (4)b Mr. Kazi Aminul Huque, (5) Ms. Ruby Ghuznavi and (6) Mr. Mahfuz Anam. Various sectors of society are represented as there are lawyers, chartered accountants, business people, an educator and a social worker on the Board.

In any account relating to the launching of Transparency International-Bangladesh the support received from Mr. Pierre Landell-Mills, the World Bank's Country Director acting in his personal capacity and as a Member of Transparency International (Headquarters) was significant and he together with Mr.Neil Knudson, the Danish Charge d' Affairs in Bangladesh must surely be recognised as among its first friends.

IV. MISSION AND VISION OF TIB

TIB has not written a formal mission statement or vision statement, but the Board members and Executive Director articulate a shared sense of what the organization intends to do and how it intends to achieve its goals. One of the tasks of a strategic planning exercise will most likely be to finalize written mission and vision statements. Until that task is completed, there are definite ideas that were communicated to the author of this document.

TIB takes the view that corruption in Bangladesh has affected practically every sector of service delivery, including the police, judiciary, health care, education, land registration, tax collection, journalism, and municipal services like electricity, water, public transport, and telephone services. The Board members agree that corruption manifests itself primarily in the form of individuals seeking private gain from their public offices. Corruption in the country has become a huge systemic problem that cannot be avoided by any member of society. They recognize that while there are honest and fair people who do not wish to take or pay bribes, it is increasingly difficult to perform even the most mundane activities without encountering this kind of corruption. The Board members share a common vision in desiring to create a society in which corruption is neither systemic nor endemic -- where corruption is an anomaly, not the norm.

These individuals also see that Transparency International - Bangladesh must go about its work in a way that is unique to organizations in the country. They see the tasks of their organization as making public people's shared concerns about corruption, and generating enough public outrage and pressure regarding corruption to create an environment conducive to reform. TIB is a catalyst for change, and that involves shedding light on problems, bringing together stakeholders who will formulate action plans to bring about change, and then continually drawing attention to the problems and the proposed solutions until reform is achieved. TIB sees itself as a broad-based membership pressure group that raises public awareness by providing accurate information and then keeps public awareness high until those with the power to make changes actually accomplish the necessary reform.

V. INITIAL WORK

TIB's initial support before its formation and immediately after came from its two Settlors, Syed Humayun Kabir and Mr. Tawfique Nawaz and contributions received from Kazi Aminul Huque, Trustee Treasurer, and members who joined TIB. Thereafter, in the wake of negotiation between Syed Humayun Kabir and Tawfique Nawaz with the Royal Danish Embassy TIB was engaged to undertake certain specific tasks. Mr. Pierre Landell-Mills contributed much to this effort.

To-date TIB has conducted the following tasks:

1. Newsletter. TIB has published two issues of newsletter in English and in Bengali to increase awareness and encourage investigation of corruption in Bangladesh.

2. Essay and cartoon competition. TIB sponsored a contest for school children and college students in local newspapers in order to raise awareness about the problem of corruption.

3. Investigative journalism program. TIB sponsored an award to two journalists who have excelled in covering corruption in the country, one writing in English and one writing in Bengali. The award included an allowance for a sabbatical to take time off to develop a particular skill or investigate a specific story. It also included sending the winning journalists to the Thomson Foundation, a training center in Wales.

4. Developing membership base. TIB has produced a brochure and engaged in some additional marketing strategies to attempt to increase its membership throughout the country, including establishing a website on the Internet.

5. Coordinating a workshop. A workshop addressing various issues of corruption in the economic sector, as well as corruption in police, education, and the election process was sponsored jointly by TIB, Rotary Club of Dhaka, and Rotaract Club of Dhaka on May 6, 1997.

In 1997, TIB began formulating plans to conduct a survey to measure the extent and nature of corruption in Bangladesh. After discussion with various outside groups, TIB ultimately accepted the assistance of The Asia Foundation, which provided funding and advice on planning the survey in a manner that was consistent with TIB's own ideas and agenda. This support from TAF has made possible the following activities:

6. Corruption survey. TIB sponsored a three-tiered survey to gather detailed information about the impact that corruption has on the delivery of basic social services in Bangladesh. The three tiers were:

a. News scan and Annotated Bibliographies. An analysis of three national newspapers, two in Bengali and one in English, was conducted over a period of six months to compile data on how corruption is reported. The analysis has been published in both Bangla and English. Also three annotated bibliographies were prepared and overview essays written on the topics of corruption's impact on the economic, social, and political areas of the country. The main sectors affected, the victims, and the perpetrators of corruption as reported in the news were tabulated and analyzed.

b. Pilot study. Following an open bid for contractors, a survey institution was chosen and a methodology was devised under the supervision of board member Professor Muzaffer Ahmad. In the pilot study, a survey of 620 households was conducted. Subjects were asked to identify areas affected by corruption, and to provide information about the nature, extent, and intensity of corruption. Public services in six different sectors were addressed: police service, judiciary (including grameen shalish), land administration, financial, health, and education. The study included a demographic breakdown of persons most impacted by corruption.

c. Baseline survey. This research covered 2,500 households and included three sectors in addition to the ones addressed by the pilot study. These three were: municipal service, public transportation sector, and the news media.

7. Press conference. A press conference was held on December 3, 1997 to make public the findings of the three-tiered corruption survey. One of the key discoveries was the pervasiveness of the corruption in the police service and judiciary sectors. The collusion of police, court officials, and lawyers to demand bribes and favor those who pay them the most money forms an "unholy trinity" which causes a serious miscarriage of justice for common people. Significant problems were discovered in the land administration and financial sectors as well and less significant and more manageable difficulties were found in the health and education sectors. These findings were viewed as extremely important by the press, who provided highly visible coverage of the results. References are still being made in newspapers of the report nearly six months after the publication of the report. Consequently, TIB's public profile has improved dramatically.

8. Meetings with government officials. As a result of the attention given to TIB's survey by the press, TIB board members and the Executive Director have been able to schedule meetings with various government ministers. These meetings are intended to discuss the findings of the survey and to build coalitions and support for combating corruption wherever possible. TIB has been able to meet with the President, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs, the Attorney General, the Minister for Education and other senior civil servants.

9. Press workshops/focus groups. TIB has also been conducting focus group discussions with different groups, such as journalists, business people, NGO leaders, educators, health care professionals, and others using the survey as a springboard for dialogue about corruption and reform. Press workshops have been taking place in various locations throughout the country involving journalists.

10. Documentation center. TIB has set up a modest center to house literature about corruption at its permanent office in Dhaka. The center currently contains books collected from The Asia Foundation through its Books for Asia program as well as from other sources.

11. Attendance at other workshops/meetings.TIB has sent its Executive Director and/or other representatives to a variety of workshops sponsored by other organizations, including:

a. World Bank's "Government that Works"

b. SAARCLAW

c. the National Independent Commission on Human Rights by the Ministry of Law

d. Bangladesh Institute of Peace

e. Centre for Women and Child Studies

f. the launching of Human Development in South Asia by UNDP

g. the TI meeting on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in Cambridge, England

h. the launching of TI - India

i. the TI Annual General Meeting in Lima, Peru

j. British High Commission discussion of the report "A Strategy for the British Council in Governance 1997-2000" by Mr. David Watson (TIB had also provided evidence for preparation of the report) and the White Paper by DFID

k. the meeting in San Francisco sponsored by The Asia Foundation on corruption survey methodology

l. the workshop on "Report Card" methodology organized by the Public Affairs Centre in Bangalore, India

m. the seminar on Governance and Accountability organized by the Parliamentary Centre of Canada, EDI of World Bank, and the Consortium of Financial Management of Public Systems of India in New Delhi

n. the workshop on "Strategies to Counter Corruption" organized by The Asia Foundation in Bangkok

VI. STRATEGIC APPROACHES

As TIB's Board and Executive Director discuss their accomplishments so far and make plans for the future, they have begun to identify the key strategies and approaches that they believe will make their organization distinctive from other institutions and that will lead to the greatest success in curbing corruption. These factors represent strategic directions, which TIB would like to continue to follow:

1. Providing an indigenous perspective. TIB believes that the fight against corruption needs to be primarily from an indigenous perspective in order to be effective. The identification of corrupt practices by organizations outside Bangladesh can easily be dismissed by government and other sectors as biased or inaccurate. Pressure from a group of citizens of Bangladesh working from their own concerns and agenda will have a much more significant impact. TIB therefore desires to continue to formulate its own ideas for its work and to seek out partners and donors who value their independence and are willing to make decisions collaboratively. TIB's work with the survey is an example of the importance of this approach. Because TIB deliberately searched for a donor who would support their own agenda, they were able to form a valuable partnership with The Asia Foundation and implement a survey that focused on service delivery to common people. Consequently, the results were highly relevant to the interests of the public, which meant greater attention from the press and more significant impact on political officials and public figures in various professions. In addition, TIB could point out that the survey was entirely designed, implemented, and analyzed by an indigenous organization, giving it far greater authenticity and relevance than if it had been carried out by an external entity. The lesson learned from the survey experience is that if its work is to be viewed as relevant and credible to the public, to the press, and to government officials and other influential leaders, then TIB needs to represent an indigenous perspective.

2. Catalyzing a grassroots movement. In order to have significant impact on eradicating the widespread systemic corruption that exists throughout Bangladesh, TIB believes it is necessary to promote a groundswell of public support for reform at every level. A grassroots movement, with substantial numbers of common people demanding change, will ultimately be more successful than a top-down approach. TIB believes its greatest impact will come from catalyzing and channeling widespread public insistence on reform throughout the country. Substantial and lasting change will be accomplished only if a large number of people from every socio-economic background demand accountability and transparency in the way services are provided.

3. Serving as a watch-dog organization. TIB believes that a critical element in the fight against corruption is collection and dissemination of information. TIB discovered in publicizing the results of the survey that many people appreciated having scientific evidence to verify the anecdotal evidence generally used in discussions about corruption. Quantifiable data has given the survey greater credibility. Making this information public via coverage in the press has also indicated to government officials that they are being monitored and that the public does have an interest in whether or not they carry out their duties by engaging in corruption. The fact that such information has been collected and disseminated and is now being discussed serves notice to officials that the public demands they be held accountable. TIB also has the ability to publicize this information regionally and globally as well as locally and nationally. If TIB continues to provide this valuable watch-dog function, ever greater pressure will be placed on civil servants to utilize a more accountable and transparent process in delivering services.

4. Providing opportunities for dynamic engagement of issues. TIB desires to go a step further than merely disseminating information by also providing forums for discussion and establishing plans of action. Making information available is only the first step in utilizing that information for change. Dynamic discussion which will in turn lead to action is also necessary. In order to provide these opportunities, TIB would like to continue to sponsor seminars, workshops, and forums in which people from different backgrounds and of different viewpoints come together to actively engage one another. Through these means, lawyers, journalists, civil servants, business people, educators, health care providers, NGO workers, municipal service providers, and others from within the country can dialogue with each other about possible solutions. These events provide the chance for representatives from international and regional organizations to enter into the dialogue as well. The outputs of these interactions are to become some of the specific inputs for TIB's other events and activities.

5. Building coalitions. TIB recognizes, as Transparency International emphasizes, that creating enemies by finger-pointing will accomplish little. Instead, TIB has a vision of assisting in building coalitions between like-minded groups who seek the curbing of corruption in various sectors of society. TIB believes that it can help to bring about change by linking together groups of common men and women, organizations in civil society (including NGOs), business institutions like Chambers of Commerce, government entities like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Election Commission, other organizations like the Dhaka Stock Exchange, individual government officials, and professionals including lawyers, journalists, doctors, and educators. TIB envisions its role as collecting and providing useful information to these groups about the extent and nature of corruption, setting up forums like seminars, workshops, and individual meetings in which this information can be discussed, and then providing the on-going assistance needed to ensure that agreed-upon actions are carried out. Possible actions include establishing and upholding ethical standards and codes of conduct, and maintaining transparency and accountability. In this way, TIB sees itself as primarily a facilitator and catalyst for the formation of coalitions for change.

6. Acting as a pressure group/lobbying organization with respect to government. TIB understands that while Bangladesh has a substantial number of NGOs which provide many services to common people, ultimately some services can only be provided by government. Services like the police, the judiciary, land registration, bank regulation, and others must be administered by the government, and common people can receive adequate services only if these government sectors are free of corruption.

TIB also recognizes that while grassroots movements can be mobilized and coalitions can be built, in the final analysis corruption within government sectors can only be adequately addressed by government itself. To meet this goal, TIB envisions functioning as a pressure group to continually call attention to the corruption that exists, thereby applying pressure to government to change. By collecting and disseminating information about corruption, by organizing grassroots groups, by building coalitions between various organizations, and by obtaining news coverage of their findings and activities, TIB can serve to press the demand for change so that reform becomes the top priority of government officials. TIB strongly believes that there has to be a strong government commitment in order to combat the present level of corruption. Therefore, whenever possible TIB would like to engage the relevant government Ministry or Department in formulating the evolving anti-corruption strategies.

7. Working through a participatory process. After completion of its survey, TIB refrained from making recommendations for follow-up action because it believes that the process by which an action plan is established is as important as the plan itself. To reach appropriate recommendations, TIB is currently conducting focus groups with business people, journalists, lawyers, educators, doctors and others so that all the stakeholders have input into the final solutions. TIB believes this approach is essential to achieve the degree of ownership necessary to make the resulting action plan truly viable. TIB therefore intends to continue in this approach in future endeavors.

8. Fostering islands of integrity. In keeping with one of Transparency International's key concepts, TIB also plans to emphasize seeking out individual government leaders or institutions within the country who are currently conducting their affairs without resorting to corrupt practices and hold these individuals up as positive examples. TIB will encourage them to commit to continuing their corruption-free practices, or to disclose any corruption if they do engage in it. This methodology draws attention to positive examples of people with a commitment to honoring a fair system of service delivery. TIB believes islands of integrity can be used as a tool alongside coalition building and establishing a grassroots movement to highlight the effectiveness of work without corruption and to set up a climate of free market competition between groups and individuals. TIB envisions a competition to see who can maintain the most corruption-free environment throughout various sectors, among different geographic regions, and between different levels of government. This kind of competition focusing on fair and effective service delivery will result in vast improvements in the quality of services delivered to common people.

9. Obtaining diversified funding. TIB realizes that to maintain its own freedom and independence, it needs to diversify its funding base and pay particular attention to the agendas of its potential donors. TIB understands that the best approach is to secure funds from a variety of sources such as within Bangladesh, from overseas organizations, from members, and possibly from an endowment. In this way TIB will not be obligated to the influence and agenda of a single funding source. TIB envisions financing staff and administrative overhead through core funds and then receiving funding for particular projects from individual donors or a consortium of donors.

10. Employing a full-time Executive Director. One of the unique features of the Bangladesh chapter of Transparency International compared to other national chapters is that it employs a full-time, paid Executive Director. The existence of this staff member means that projects receive the full time attention they deserve, are implemented with greater efficiency, and are managed more effectively. Plans for future efforts are also coordinated through the Executive Director, who works closely with the Board and other chapter members. This permanent staff person has also served as the contact person for interactions with the press and for meetings with like-minded people from various sectors. TIB believes employing a highly qualified person in this position is essential to its continued success.

11. Building up its membership base. TIB wants to have a truly diverse and representative membership base throughout the entire country. TIB desires that their members range from influential professional people in a wide variety of different sectors to common people fighting corruption in local communities. TIB would also like to have members throughout all geographic regions of Bangladesh, as well as both men and women and individuals of different age groups. TIB's ultimate goal is to bring together the largest possible number of like-minded individuals and thus form a base from which they can combat corruption throughout many sectors, at many levels, and in various regions of the country.

VII. POSSIBLE FUTURE PROGRAMS

Transparency International - Bangladesh has been discussing a wide variety of options. For the purposes of this report, the author has simply compiled and described them without ordering them in any particular way. Some of these ideas are in more advanced planning stages than others, but in general the possibilities should be given further attention in discussion and strategic planning.

The following program ideas have been mentioned by the Executive Director, Board members, or outside parties:

1. Establish Committees of Concerned Citizens (CCC). In keeping with its grassroots focus, TIB would like to develop a network of Committees of Concerned Citizens throughout the country. In much the same way that Transparency International now identifies leaders and interested parties in various countries and seeks to gauge their interest in forming a TI national chapter, TIB will identify leaders in local communities and solicit their participation in CCCs. The goal is to establish a network of CCCs across Bangladesh, resulting eventually in a CCC in every parliamentary constituency for a total of approximately 360.

TI plans to employ a model similar to that of Amnesty International, which promotes self-sustaining self-help groups of individuals by providing information, ideas, and encouragement. The organizational structure would be informal, with the only stipulation being agreement with TI's basic aims and objectives. CCCs can concentrate on whatever sectors or services they think present the most important problems or are most likely to change in their particular geographic regions.

The CCCs will primarily undertake the tasks of rating municipal services delivered to common people, reporting that information to people in the constituency, encouraging the establishment of islands of integrity within their area, and lobbying for change at the local level. Ratings of municipal services will be made using a standardized methodology involving opinion polls and possibly focus groups. Results will be recorded and made public by using report cards. Report cards can serve as a catalyst to local officials to make changes where necessary in the manner in which services are delivered. Competition among local leaders may result, as they are held accountable to the standards in use on the report cards. Especially during election campaigns, leaders may refer to the report cards and make promises to improve upon their own or their opponent's ratings in certain sectors. The CCCs will also encourage officials to make commitments to conduct their affairs without resorting to corruption -- i.e., to form islands of integrity. In general, the CCCs will serve as local lobbying groups, seeking to instigate change in their own communities by encouraging greater political commitment.

2. Establish Advice & Information Center(s) (AIC). The latest information regarding the extent, nature, and location of corruption in Bangladesh will flow into one or more central clearing houses called Advice and Information Centers. TIB's goal is eventually to have one center in every divisional headquarter. Initially the first AIC will most likely be set up in Dhaka. The AICs will compile and manage information from the CCCs throughout the country as well as data obtained from other sources, such as newspapers and research. The AICs will supervise replication of the corruption survey at specified time intervals to continue to follow up on national progress regarding the fight against corruption. Information will be managed by utilizing the latest information technology and probably a full-time staff person.

The AICs will also administer the task of disseminating information to the public via newsletters, reports, academic papers, press releases, and press conferences. Information will be available to a possible in-house scholar to write research papers on relevant topics, and to academics external to the organization. The AICs will also coordinate the report cards generated by the CCCs across geographic regions in order to foster competition throughout the country. The AICs will collect information about and report on the islands of integrity that have been formed. The AICs can also develop creative ways to compile and analyze the data, such as formulating a vulnerability index that measures the effect of corruption on different demographic groups, and publishing a corruption almanac that lists data in tables and charts which can be used to perform comparisons across the country and among nations.

3. Replicate the corruption survey periodically. The initial corruption survey has served to provide evidence of the nature, extent, and sectors involved in corruption in Bangladesh. The third stage of the survey is a baseline to which future measures of corruption can be compared. TIB will conduct other surveys to demonstrate the extent and nature of corruption in the future and to compare the new findings with the old to determine what progress, if any, has been made in the effort to eradicate corruption. These surveys will be planned to take place at regular intervals in the future. As with the initial survey, TIB will ensure a scientific methodology is followed and then will disseminate the results via press conferences and detailed written reports. TIB will also sponsor seminars and workshops to highlight the results and follow up with meetings of interested parties to discuss the results and their implications.

4. Arrange periodic meetings with key stakeholders. An important aspect of TIB's work is to ensure that key stakeholders are aware of the public's perception of the extent and nature of corruption in various sectors. The stakeholders themselves in turn can take action and make recommendations about how to address the corruption taking place in their sectors. Face-to-face meetings with individuals and groups, as well as focus group discussions, therefore become an important tool in bringing about reform. TIB will arrange these meetings as necessary with NGO leaders, individual business people, chambers of commerce, lawyers, journalists, educators, doctors, government officials, and other interested parties. This task will best be accomplished by the Executive Director, influential board members, and a possible future group called an Advisory Council.

5. Promote establishment of Ombudsman. There is a constitutional requirement in Bangladesh to establish the Office of Ombudsman. TIB would like to launch a campaign to fulfill this requirement. The initial stages of this campaign require an examination of the statute and a review of the experiences of other countries' Office of Ombudsman, especially in the Indian sub-continent. Following this research, suggestions for amendments to the statute as well as recommendations regarding the areas of government administration that ought to be within the jurisdiction of an Ombudsman (or perhaps several Ombudsmen) will be made. The campaign will also include press releases and press conferences to make public the suggestions and bring the issue to the forefront of political dialogue. It might also include regional or national seminars and workshops to draw attention to the campaign and present lessons learned from other countries.

6. Continue to promote investigative journalism. TIB believes its current emphasis on promoting the work of investigative journalists is important in maintaining a free and independent press. The press is vital in exposing corruption in many sectors and geographic regions, and thus in placing pressure on government officials to change corrupt practices. TIB proposes to continue its awards program for exceptional investigative pieces in both English and Bengali newspapers, its sabbatical allowances so that journalists can pursue further investigation or training, and its sponsorship of training opportunities, which can be expanded to include both external training abroad and internal training through local workshops.

7. Sponsor seminars. TIB also wants to sponsor high profile events periodically so that greater attention can be drawn to the effort to fight corruption, and so that like-minded people can come together and discuss viable solutions. Many national chapters of TI set up National Integrity Seminars, and TIB believes this kind of event should be conducted in Bangladesh as well. Influential people in many sectors will be invited to this event, and high level political leaders of prominent parties will be asked to attend and make commitments to integrity in their affairs. Regional seminars might also be held in cooperation with other TI chapters. These seminars could be used in particular to target macro problems in economics, such as defaulting on loans, irregularities in income tax and customs collection, and the problem of informal trade. These are the evidences of corruption that many TIB board members perceive as some of the most important and urgent problems in Bangladesh.

8. Sponsor academic research studies. An important aspect of TIB's work is to provide credible evidence of corruption and a vehicle by, which reasoned discourse on how to combat corruption, can take place. TIB will therefore from time to time host and support outside scholars who wish to conduct their own independent research using TIB information or means. One proposed research project is currently being planned. Robert Gallagher, a scholar from the United Kingdom, has approached TIB about partnering with the organization to research and write a series of five working papers on the subject of "Tackling Corruption in Bangladesh Through Improvements in Wages and Other Incentives in the Public Sector." Mr. Gallagher's proposal is to work in cooperation with TIB and Manchester University's Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM). He is seeking his own funding from a single outside donor or several donors working in partnership. His research stipend would be paid via a funding grant, as would the stipends of one local research associate and one local administrative assistant, who would work out of TIB's offices. At the conclusion of his research, Mr. Gallagher would help to lead two seminars and two workshops on the findings. This kind of scholarly partnership would be beneficial to TIB, IDPM, and Mr. Gallagher, and would further the efforts to raise public awareness about corruption and to devise concrete action plans to combat corruption.

9. Develop new programs/campaigns as necessary. TIB would like to remain flexible and responsive in its approach to fighting corruption. As important issues arise and gain greater public awareness or outcry, TIB will shift its focus to address them. Some ideas have already surfaced as possible avenues to pursue, including campaigning to:

a. establish an Independent Broadcasting Agency

b. promote the repeal or amendment of the Official Secrets' Act of 1923

c. enact a Freedom of Information Act

d. pass legislation requiring the disclosure of assets by Members of Parliament and civil servants

e. establish rules for fundraising by political parties

When TIB decides to engage in such activities, a deliberate and well-informed process will be undertaken, one that involves research and data collection about an issue, meetings with key stakeholders to formulate an action plan, steps to elicit publicity and raise public awareness of an issue, sponsorship of seminars or workshops on the topic, and the building of coalitions to continue to apply pressure for reform.

10. Engage in public interest litigation. Bringing about lawsuits in the public interest has become an important legal tool to highlight public grievances and to ensure that justice is made available to those without the knowledge or resources to approach the courts. It is also a forum for the resolution of issues of public importance. In this regard, TIB will examine issues of public interest and in appropriate circumstances initiate legal action to bring about greater openness and public accountability.

11. Implement report cards. TIB plans to carefully monitor the extent of corruption present in various sectors of society and to utilize creative means to inform the public of its findings. One way to accomplish this monitoring and reporting function is to initiate report cards on particular government institutions, municipal service delivery organizations, financial institutions, etc. TIB will create these report cards to rate the degrees of efficiency, fairness, and absence of corruption in the various areas it wants to monitor. TIB will conduct periodic measurements of the status of these factors and will "grade" the institutions accordingly. These report cards will be made public. Report cards across different sectors and throughout various geographic regions can be compared, and a free market competition will be set up. In this way, greater attention will be drawn to the extent of corruption, greater transparency and accountability will result, and greater incentive to improve will be cultivated.

12. Develop a vulnerability index. The corruption survey identified various demographic groups that are affected by corruption and sought to compare how the effects of corruption vary accordingly. Groups were classified by gender of the head of household, by income level, and by education level. TIB is interested in doing further research in this area to determine which of these various groups is most vulnerable to harm by corruption and to what extent. A vulnerability index will be created to provide a quantitative, easily discernible means by which to measure the effects of corruption on different demographic groups.

13. Develop an integrity index. TIB is also considering a quantitative measurement of how much integrity different government and other service delivery institutions have based on the absence of corruption to do their work. Ratings that can be used to compare one organization or sector with another will be developed. This kind of measurement will act as an incentive to government officials to perform their services without resorting to corruption and will help to promote competition among sectors and geographic areas.

14. Publish a corruption almanac. Discussions have already begun with a national NGO called GSS, which has extensive experience in publishing, to partner together on a national corruption almanac. This work could be used as a reference book on corruption, and would detail statistical evidence of corrupt practices and how they affect the common people and the overall cost of service delivery.

15. Form school/college TIB clubs. TIB would like to bring together the experience of elders and the vision of youth to galvanize society to combat corruption. One of TIB's first activities was to organize an essay and cartoon competition for school and college students. TIB has emphasized its belief in the importance of involving the youth of Bangladesh in the anti-corruption movement by exploring with TI-Denmark a program to strengthen anti-corruption attitudes among school students. One possible way to accomplish this task is to encourage the formation of TIB "clubs" in schools, colleges and universities.

16. Explore means of ensuring transparency in the energy sector. Believing that "prevention is better than a cure," TIB would like to consult experts in the energy sector, both nationally and internationally, to examine the need, availability, and impact of development in this field, and then to inform the public in order to encourage reasoned and knowledgeable discussion.

17. Establish an advocacy project to work with government. TIB is committed to influencing the Government of Bangladesh, as a lead partner, to make changes in key areas of governance in identified priority areas. The project would assist the Government and other partner organizations to set priorities, change practices, and formulate public policy in order to improve governance. The project would also assist public officials to decide how best to deliver or provide services and it would provide useful feedback for the evaluation of public policies and programs.

18. Coordinate activities with other national organizations. TIB leaders believe that the organization has a unique ability to act as a coordinator among various other groups, including NGOs, Chambers of Commerce, and groups like the Bar Council and Dhaka Stock Exchange, among others. TIB seeks to bring members of these groups together and collectively decide on an action plan, then coordinate programmatic kinds of activities that will be primarily implemented by the other organizations. TIB sees its own role less as an implementer of programs and more as a coordinator, facilitator, and coalition builder. Some TIB board members would especially like to coordinate lobbying activities on behalf of micro entrepreneurs, a group with which many NGOs work, and who are particularly adversely affected by corruption.

19. Coordinate activities with regional or international organizations. TIB also envisions itself working frequently with organizations outside Bangladesh to learn from their experiences and come up with innovative ways to address similar problems. TIB members also receive personal encouragement from contact with people from other countries who are also fighting corruption. An additional advantage is that TIB can draw international attention to problems within Bangladesh, thus bringing even greater pressure for reform onto government. TIB envisions working with many different outside organizations, including:

a. Transparency International. One advantage of being a national chapter of an international organization is that TIB has a direct link to chapters in other countries and to the parent office in Berlin. This connection provides valuable lessons and ideas from others' experiences, encouragement, and a forum for publicizing problems in Bangladesh. There are also specific regional TI activities in which TIB plans to be integrally involved:

1. Host Transparency International South Asia Secretariat. The 1998 conference of regional TI chapters may be taking place in Dhaka and the launching of the Secretariat could coincide with the conference.

2. South Asia Regional TI Source Book. TIB could coordinate the compilation and publication of this reference work. This idea was proposed at the Asia-Pacific conference in Delhi in March 1997.

b. Public Affairs Centre in Bangalore, India. PAC in India is currently engaging in some activities, which TIB would also like to explore for use in Bangladesh. The Executive Director of TIB has already attended a workshop on Report Card Methodology and gained valuable information about this tool. He was also able to network with members of this group and other groups, which could prove helpful in future. Other means of combatting corruption are also being used by PAC, and the lessons learned from this group are particularly valuable since they face a similar situation because they are also located on the sub-continent. TIB would like to continue their association with this organization and perhaps enter into joint activities at some point.

VIII. SECTORAL FOCUS

Because corruption is so widespread in Bangladesh, it is difficult to focus narrowly on only a few sectors. The Executive Director and many board members expressed the opinion that TIB must be flexible and responsive in order to address corruption in many different areas. Of course, TIB's leaders are also aware that the organization cannot tackle too many problems of corruption at once or their work will quickly become ineffective. The issue of how to define which sectors should be addressed can be organized in different ways.

LOCAL LEVEL (e.g., wards, thanas, schools, universities)

Various sectors.

One alternative that makes a diverse approach manageable is the establishment of CCCs at the local level. Each CCC will be able to focus on the sectors that matter most in its own area. Individual community leaders together with other members of the local community can decide if they would rather concentrate on reform of their land registration office, or on their local primary school, or on their thana health care facility, and so forth. Their sectoral focus will depend on the extent of the problems in their areas and their own commitment to and interest in these sectors. Yet all CCCs considered collectively may be addressing a wide variety and large number of sectors. CCCs make it possible for TIB as a whole to address the full range of corruption which disrupts delivery of services to the common people, as the people themselves perceive the situation.

NATIONAL LEVEL

Police and Judiciary.

With regard to national problems of corruption on a larger scale, TIB board members believe that it is difficult to focus on specific sectors. Some feel that the sectors which received the most complaints in the survey, namely the police and judiciary, should be given greater attention at the national level. These concerns represent some of the biggest and most urgent problems of corruption. They also affect extremely large numbers of people at every level, and could potentially instigate an enormous amount of resource mobilization.

Economic sector.

Many TIB Board members, however, especially those engaged in private business, feel that the most attention should be given to the economic sector. They expressed the opinion that corruption in these areas is hindering development of the country as a whole most significantly. Specifically, these board members perceive the most important issues to be:

1. Banks and other financial institutions. Especially at issue are the unfair criteria for loans. Corrupt loan practices have created a large number of defaulters and have hindered credit to small and micro entrepreneurs who would be good credit risks.

2. Tax collection. Corruption in income and property tax collection was also identified as a widespread problem in the survey. This corruption is creating a huge imbalance in what different people pay for the same services, and is placing a large burden on legitimate business people whose activities would be beneficial to the national economy.

3. Customs. Corruption in this area is also severely hindering the open exchange of goods and placing obstacles for legitimate business concerns. Businesses seeking to establish themselves or expand by importing technology, machinery, or raw materials face inordinate hassle and expense through corrupt customs practices.

4. Informal trade. This difficult bilateral issue with India is disrupting the national economy by flooding the market with a variety of goods and needs to be addressed with innovative solutions.

5. Share market. Many people in the country have lost significant sums of money by participating in the share market. Corruption in this area also hinders capitalization of legitimate businesses.

These particular economic areas must be addressed at the national level, through lobbying for regulations and new legislation and perhaps additional monitoring agencies in the government. These represent significant undertakings for TIB.

IX. TIMELINE

The TIB Board members recognize that the organization's effectiveness will increase as its 'recognizability' and reputation for effectiveness improves. The incipient institution had very little influence until the results of the corruption survey were widely circulated in the press at the end of 1997. This public attention has given TIB a higher profile, and consequently greater influence. The heightened profile has also raised expectations, both internal and external, of what TIB can accomplish. TIB understands that the organization's credibility and its ability to pressure leaders to bring about change will continue to increase as its work continues and its profile rises, provided TIB achieves some significant success.

TIB leaders also link the timeline of activities with the availability of funding and suitable personnel. If financing can be secured for the CCCs and the AIC, for instance, in the first two years the goal would be to establish a few (2 to 5) CCCs across the country and probably only one AIC in Dhaka. From years three to five in this program, TIB would seek to expand their work, setting up CCCs in more constituencies and AICs in more divisional headquarters. The goal would be to have established a CCC in each parliamentary constituency and an AIC in each divisional headquarters by the year 2003-5.

Similar possible timelines can be described for other kinds of work, depending on whether TIB decides these are the areas on which they would like to focus and depending on whether the organization can obtain funding for the programs. One priority that has been discussed for some time and is still in the forefront of programs to begin soon is the Ombudsman campaign. Other ideas that are likely to be attended to immediately, since they are largely continuations of current programs, are the efforts to promote investigative journalism, continue with the national baseline surveys and to sponsor seminars and workshops with various groups.

The unfolding of a specific timeline is a key area of concern that can be addressed in a detailed long range strategic plan. The best approach is to formulate successive stages of work and expansion, perhaps from one to ten years in the future, as TIB's influence and credibility grows.

X. INSTITUTIONAL AND STAFFING IMPLICATIONS

The decisions, which TIB must face, are not only programmatic; they are also institutional. Of course, every decision made about program has an effect on how the organization is structured and how actions are executed. The implications that must be considered can be divided into three areas:

1. Membership. TIB's plans for the future include seeking to attract more members to the organization, at all levels of socio-economic background. Questions of how to communicate with and adequately utilize higher numbers of members must be addressed. Decisions will have to be made about:

a. Requirements for membership. TIB must address such concerns as: the amount of fees charged for membership, whether members must be invited individually to join, whether members need to be sponsored by another member, whether membership will be completely open to any interested person, whether one must sign a statement of certain fundamental beliefs about eradicating corruption, whether one must make personal commitments regarding engaging in corruption, and so forth.

b. Sub-chapters. CCCs could function as sub-chapters, or some other structure could be established. Sub-chapters could be grouped around interest in particular sectors, for example, rather than geographic regions.

c. Number and location of meetings. Monthly meetings work well when dealing with small numbers. As the organization grows, perhaps quarterly meetings or even annual meetings will be necessary. Currently meetings are held at the TIB office. With larger numbers, a larger venue must be found. Costs will also increase if it is necessary to rent facilities.

d. Means of communication. Members currently receive a newsletter. Decisions need to be made about continuing the newsletter, expanding it, changing the format, publishing it more or less frequently. Other methods of contacting members could also be employed, such as a through a phone tree or e-mail.

2. Paid staff. As changes occur in the organization, TIB envisions hiring additional key staff members. The Executive Director and Board members seek people with exceptional educational backgrounds and who are highly motivated and committed to Bangladesh in general and to fighting corruption in particular. TIB also expressed a desire to find leaders in the mid-range of their careers (approximately 35-45 year old age bracket), who will bring with them substantial life experiences and expertise in particular fields.

A comprehensive staffing pattern will need to be devised. At this time, various ideas for possible staff positions have been put forward. These include:

a. Executive Director. Currently this position functions as a paid consultant because of the way the funding has to be managed given TIB's status as a trust and not an NGO. Additional funding will have to be secured and a job description will have to be updated if any changes are made. The TIB Board definitely desires to retain this position.

b. Deputy Director. This person will probably perform certain specific administrative and programmatic tasks as well as provide general back-up to the Executive Director, especially in his/her absence. This position will also be responsible for long-term financial planning.

c. Researcher. A professional highly skilled in conducting research through surveys, focus groups, and literature reviews. Will probably work closely with the CCCs and the AICs.

d. Public Relations and Information Manager. A person with experience in information gathering and dissemination, familiar with the latest information technology. Will also work with the CCCs and the AICs. Will be able to set up seminars and workshops and develop appropriate communications in various media to publicize the events, raise public awareness, and educate the public about issues. Also will be responsible for membership development.

e. Program Development Coordinator/Campaign Manager. An advocacy/ lobbying expert who will be highly attuned to the needs and perceptions of the public and who will have knowledge in reform issues. This person will design new campaigns and lobbying efforts after careful research and meetings with stakeholders, and continue to follow through during implementation. Will also coordinate efforts with other organizations and build coalitions. Will also be involved in soliciting donor support for programs.

f. Documentation Center Librarian. This person would work on-site at the initial AIC to manage all the information, keep the center running, help researchers and journalists find data and reports needed, etc. Subsequent AICs would also need such a person to manage them.

g. Administrative Manager. The responsibilities of this position are to maintain the office system, attend to the correspondence and write other documents as requested by the Executive Director, procure office stationery, maintain the membership register, liaise with the landlord and the utility companies, do the banking, and perform other administrative functions as necessary.

h. Secretary. This position will provide word processing and technical support, deal with telephone calls and e-mail, and perform other administrative duties to ensure efficient running of the office.

3. The Board. TIB would also like to address the restructuring of the Board and the working relationship between the Board and the staff. Because of circumstances at the time of TIB's initial formation, TIB Board members are currently trustees appointed for an indefinite time period. This trustee structure is one of two possible ideas, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

a. Appointed trustees. By identifying particular individuals who are in specific professions and have certain kinds of experience or expertise, TIB can ensure the diversity and representation it desires. TIB will also have greater ability to select members of a certain reputation for integrity and a particular level of influence in society and government. The drawback to this approach is that trustees may feel that the position is largely honorary and of an indefinite time period and so be less motivated to participate in activities and provide dynamic leadership.

b. Elected from the membership. Some Board members believe that greater vitality and accountability will come from a Board that is elected periodically by the entire membership. In this case, only those who are most highly motivated and who have been participating at a grassroots level will likely serve on the Board. The disadvantage to this structure, however, is that factions and power struggles can arise when Board members are elected, thereby jeopardizing the stability of the organization.

Regardless of which structure of Board is chosen, it will be helpful to engage in some Board development activities, such as retreats or workshops, so that the Board and the paid staff can exchange ideas on how each can relate to and benefit the other.

In addition to the current structure, TIB is considering forming a new entity as well:

4. Advisory Board. TIB would, similar to TI, establish an Advisory Board. The membership would be drawn from a wide cross-section of the country representing gender and age balance in its composition. The Advisory Board would act as the "mouthpiece" of TIB in public gatherings, seminars, and workshops as individual members would possess certain skills, expertise, and clout. They will be paid a fee for their service.

XI. FUNDING NEEDS

TIB leaders have given some thought to how funding might be structured, and have also been in conversation with particular donors about their various interests in possible TIB programs. The ideas that have been discussed so far are:

CORE FUNDING

TIB envisions paying for administrative costs to run the office and pay the salaries of key personnel through Core Funding. The Executive Director has estimated that their needs over the next several years for Core Funding will be:

1997-98 Taka 16,40,938 US$ 35,672

1998-99 Taka 19,50,687 US$ 42,406

1999-2000 Taka 23,37,910 US$ 50,824

Core Funding has been determined based on continuing the activities that have been started in TIB's first year. The above budget has been determined by including salaries for the Executive Director, Administration Manager, Program Development Coordinator/Campaign Manager, Public Relations and Information Manager, Secretary, and Peon, as well as utilities, stationery, newspaper and magazine subscriptions, transport, refreshments, printing costs, phone installation, rent, and a contingency.

The Executive Director would also like for the Core Funding to be used as operating funds which would enable TIB to leverage additional funds. TIB would like to generate income from other sources with the goal of becoming self-sustaining.

PROGRAM FUNDING

TIB envisions seeking individual donors or consortiums of donors to fund particular programs or campaigns. For example, the Ombudsman campaign will have a separate donor or donors, most likely from foreign sources, to provide funds. These grants will be solicited via concept papers and program proposal documents and will be for specified costs during particular time frames. TIB will seek donors who will allow the organization a degree of independence so that its credibility will remain at a high level. The TIB Board and Executive Director must be careful to devise criteria by which they evaluate potential donors and the implications of the organization's being in partnership with them on public perception.

One disadvantage to be considered if individual programs are funded by separate donors is that each program will require separate reporting. Monitoring and evaluation methods and personnel and their related costs must be taken into consideration.

FUNDING SOURCES

The TIB Board and Executive Director have mentioned several possible funding sources:

1. Bilateral donors. Agencies from other countries have expressed interest in some TIB programs. For example, DFID (UK) shares an interest in the Ombudsman campaign, UNDP may be willing to fund developing watch-dog functions and replicating the corruption survey, CIDA (Canada) is interested in the Share market scandal and promoting entrepreneurs, USAID (USA) has a focus on good governance and reform of the financial and judicial sectors, and USIS (USA) is interested in establishing ethical codes for various professions, like doctors, lawyers, and educators. The Asia Foundation is interested in continuing its successful association with TIB and fostering many of its program ideas.

2. Donors within Bangladesh. Corporate or individual donors within the country might also have an interest in furthering TIB's work. Of course, TIB will need to be especially careful of any possible conflict of interest or impropriety with regard to such donors. TIB has been encouraging the formation of a "like-minded" group, the members of which would put their funds in a common "pot." TIB will then invest from that pot of money and thereby ensure a certain amount of independence from outside donors in its programming.

3. Membership fees. Currently there are three different kinds of membership, with varying levels of fees required. The total from membership fees is a very small amount, but possibly these funds could be used to pay for a specific task, such as the newsletter or brochures and other material or activities to promote membership.

4. Endowment fund. The Executive Director has also mentioned establishing an endowment fund so that financing could be provided for well into the future. This kind of plan must be thoroughly investigated and well-managed.

XII. KEY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

Many different issues, covering a wide range of areas, have been addressed in this document. Some definite decisions must be made by the Executive Director and Board on these issues. Persons outside the organization who have some expertise in different areas will probably also be helpful in making these decisions. This decisions can be made in an intensive long range strategic planning exercise. The following is meant as a summary of key questions for this future strategic planning:

1. Should TIB focus on petty or grand corruption? Within Transparency International worldwide, there is debate about whether the best approach is to focus on grand corruption or petty corruption. A focus on grand corruption tends to emphasize corruption taking place at the level of many thousands or millions of dollars worth of aid or government contracts, while a focus on petty corruption stresses the day-to-day corruption that inflates the costs and hinders effective delivery of essential services to the common person. TIB has discovered that there is a significant interest in petty corruption and its effects on average people in Bangladesh, but is this the best approach to take? Would TIB be more effective if it focused instead on the kinds of grand corruption that is also having a widespread, though different, effect?

2. Should TIB focus on problems that are most urgent? That are most important? Or that could be corrected most easily? In trying to decide on which sectors to place the greatest emphasis, TIB must examine whether it is more worthwhile to look at the police and judiciary sectors, which most people would agree have the most urgent problems; whether it is better to concentrate on concerns they feel are more important, like the Ombudsman or macro economic problems; or whether it is better to focus on areas that are likely to be most easily reformed because problems are not as severe, such as the health and education sectors?

3. How should TIB link with other organizations and individuals in Bangladesh? What are the various means and methods by which coalitions can be established? NGOs, for example, are already implementing programs that could fit into TIB's agenda. Will TIB approach these organizations and ask to be a part of the existing programs? Will TIB develop program ideas and ask NGOs with particular kinds of expertise to help implement them? WIll TIB instead rely only on dealing with individual members of TIB, and try to inspire an NGO Director who belongs to the organization to develop programs on its own? How should TIB make connections with individuals? Should it wait for influential persons to be attracted to the organization, or should it be aggressive in trying to recruit the help of particular people in particular professions? What kinds of help does TIB want from these individuals?

4. How should TIB link with other chapters and the parent organization of TI? What does it mean to be a part of an international organization? Is that a help, or a distraction? How much time should TIB devote to outside activities and conferences, and how much to matters within Bangladesh? What are the best ways to utilize the resources and lessons learned of other chapters?

5. Should TIB be an NGO or a trust? Does it make any difference in how TIB operates that it is currently registered as a trust and not an NGO? How will it handle donor funds in future if it does not become an NGO?

6. Should TIB have an elected or an appointed Board? Will the Board members have more specific functions, or just set policy? Should the organization ever offer compensation to its board members if they do perform specific functions? The whole structure of the Board is also an important issue to examine. The advantages and disadvantages of an elected Board compared to an appointed Board have been discussed above. Some Board members also expressed a desire to be given some more specific tasks, such as speaking engagements at schools, conferences, or other venues. Some Board members have already offered their services in very particular ways, such as in designing the methodology for the survey. Is it ever appropriate to compensate Board members for these kinds of activities? Is it possible for a Board member to suspend his or her appointment for a time to accept a paid position with the organization and then return to the Board later?

7. How will the funding be structured? Will donor reporting requirements affect how funding is set up? What criteria will TIB use to accept or decline offers of funding? As mentioned above, TIB will need to make decisions about how its funding is structured, whether as core funds, program funds, an endowment fund, and so forth. Along with this question is the concern about how much reporting it will have to do and how this affects staff configurations and the organization's focus. In addition, TIB is concerned about its professionalism and its own transparency, so it may also need to devise formal criteria for accepting funds from sources. Where did the donor's funds come from? Does the donor have a particular agenda that may conflict with TIB's agenda?

XIII. IMPLICATIONS FOR STRATEGIC PLANNERS

As stated previously, this report is designed as a preliminary document to help TIB to focus on what its own goals are for its future. The next step in the strategic planning process involves a stakeholder workshop to solicit broader feedback than this report did. Donors, government officials, and members of other organizations will participate at this stage.

Following this workshop, a more detailed long range strategic planning exercise will be conducted. Teams of local, regional, and international experts will analyze and outline more detailed plans for watch-dog and lobbying efforts in each sector. The experts will sort through and make recommendations on which sectors should be given greatest emphasis. Accurate assessment of the institutional and structural implications of each possible strategy will be made. This work will yield detailed mission and vision statements and an action plan for the next five to ten years.

The information-gathering performed for this report has implications for the kinds of technical assistance that would be most beneficial during the strategic planning exercise. Experts are needed in three broad areas:

1. Process-oriented issues. The how-to of TIB's work needs to be discussed and planned. This will involve discussions about how to conduct watch-dog activities such as the ones proposed for the CCCs and AICs, and how to engage in advocacy/lobbying activities, like launching campaigns, organizing seminars, etc., and how to implement marketing strategies in order to increase their membership base and persuade the public and various institutions to join in their activities.

2. Content-related areas. TIB's strategic planning will also benefit from those who have expertise in particular areas on which TIB wants to concentrate, such as judicial and legal reform, especially with knowledge about the work of Ombudsmen; police reform; investigative journalism and issues of free speech; and economic reform, particularly in banking, trade, and internal revenue.

3. Institutional development. TIB also needs experts in the areas of financial planning, including establishing endowment funds, managing membership fees, and fundraising; and organizational structuring, especially in linking headquarters with a network of offices, managing the partnership among government, non-government organizations, and donors, and building and using coalitions among different groups. Persons who have experience in the evolution of organizations can also assist in determining the opportunities and challenges of fast growth and slow growth and the best ways to develop emerging leadership skills. Those with experience in conflict management would also be beneficial, as TIB must face possible backlash from political factions or special interest groups, legal actions from groups or individuals, and resistance from parts of the government.

APPENDIX

List of persons interviewed in preparation of this document:

Manzoor Hasan, Barrister; Executive Director, Transparency International - Bangladesh.

Syed Humayan Kabir, Chief Executive Officer, Renata Pharmaceutical.

Muzzafer Ahmad, Professor, Dhaka University.

Kamal Hossain, Barrister; Vice Chairperson of Transparency International.

Tanbirul Islam Siddiqui, Journalist; Coordinator, Underprivileged Children's Educational Programs.

Samson H. Chowdhury, Chairman, Square Group of Companies.

Robert Gallagher, Researcher.

Kazi Aminul Huque, Chartered Accountant; Partner, Rahman Rahman Huq

Ruby Ghuznavi, Executive Director, Aranya.

Tawfique Nawaz, Advocate.

Karen L. Casper, Representative, The Asia Foundation.

Nilan Fernando, Assistant Representative, The Asia Foundation.

Feedback on a first draft and suggestions for change were obtained from members and other interested parties through various means during the finalizing of this document.