Insignificant Improvement in CPI – Bangladesh ranks 2nd lowest in South Asia

Corruption remains a serious global problem according to this CPI. 123 countries out of 177 (more than two-thirds) scored below 50 in the index where 108 countries scored equal or less than average of 43. No country has scored 100 which and it draws the conclusion that no country is corruption free.

Bangladesh has scored 27 points in a scale of 0-100, and has been ranked 136^th from the top and 16^th from bottom among 177 countries in Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI 2013). This is 1 point higher than last year’s 26, but same as that of 2011. If counted from bottom the raking is 3 steps higher than that of 2011 and 2012 when Bangladesh was ranked 136^th among 177 countries. From the top, this year’s ranking is 8 steps higher compared to 144^th among 176 countries in 2012. However, both in rank and score among 7 South Asian countries Bangladesh’s position remains 2^nd lowest - lower than all except Afghanistan (score 8, globally at the bottom) while Bhutan tops the list (score 63 rank 31). Except Bhutan all South Asian countries scored much lower than the global average score of 43. Bangladesh ranked at the very bottom for five successive years from 2001-2005. The country then secured 3^rd in 2006, 7^th in 2007, 10^th in 2008, 13^th in 2009, 12^th in 2010 and 13^th position in 2012.

The reasons behind the country’s poor performance are grand corruptions and financial scams in stock market, Padma bridge project, Hall Mark, Destiny, Railway, Rana plaza collapse etc. Besides, government’s interventions for making the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) powerless, ineffective parliament and boycotted by the main opposition, domination of interest groups in parliamentary standing committees, whitening of black money, wide scale grabbing of public land and water bodies etc. also contributed to poor performance in CPI.

CPI was released globally on 3 December 2013. Its Bangladesh release held at the TIB conference Room on the same day. TIB ED Dr Iftekharuzzaman presented the findings of the CPI before the media. Advocate Sultana Kamal, Chairperson, TIB Board of Trustees was also present during the release.