DHAKA: Bangladesh has ranked the 14th place in the corruption perception index 2014 (CPI) of Berlin-based global civil society organization Transparency International – a two-place down from 2013.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) made the disclosure at a press conference at the National Press Club in the city Wednesday morning on the occasion of the global release of CPI. 

TIB executive director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman briefed the journalists there.

Bangladesh has scored 25 points in a scale of 0-100 and has been ranked 145th from the top and 14th from below in a list of 175 countries.

This score is much lower than the global average score of 43 and both in rank and score among seven South Asian countries, Bangladesh’s position remains 2nd lowest - lower than all except Afghanistan. 

Against this backdrop, TIB has called upon the government to take a stricter position and effective measures in realizing its political commitment to prevent corruption. 

Bangladesh is among the 121 countries out of 175 who scored below 50. From the bottom, the ranking is 2 steps worse in 2014 (14th) than 2013 (16th) and from top this ranking is nine steps lower in 2014 (145th) than 2013 (136th). 

Among South Asian countries, Bhutan is on the top (score 65, rank 30 from top) while Afghanistan remains in the bottom scoring only 12 which is globally the third lowest after Sudan which is the 2nd lowest and North Korea and Somalia jointly being the lowest. 

Except Bhutan, all South Asian countries have received much lower than the global average of 43.

Ifetkharuzzaman, in his briefing, said that Bangladesh’s failure in the CPI has become severe because of its lower score than the previous year which also is much below than the global average. 

“According to CPI 2014, score of 92 countries has increased, while it remained same in 47 countries. Unfortunately Bangladesh is among the 36 countries whose score has declined,” Dr. Ifetkharuzzaman said. Other countries who scored the same with Bangladesh are Guinea, Kenya, Laos and Papua New Guinea. 

Denmark topped in the ranking scoring 92 points followed by New Zealand in the 2nd position (score is 91) and Finland in the 3rd (score 89). It is to be noted that in the 0-100 scale courtiers scoring higher are perceived to be less corrupt while countries at the bottom are perceived to be exposed to higher level of corruption.

The data used in the CPI 2014 have been collected from February 2011 to August 2014. 

The data for Bangladesh survey were taken from Economist Intelligence Unit – Country Risk Assessment, Global Insight Country Risk Ratings, International Country Risk Guide, World Bank – Country Policy and Institutional Assessment, World Economic Forum Executive Opinion Survey, World Just Project – Rule of Law Index, and Bertelsmann Foundation Transformation Index.

“There are many reasons for which Bangladesh’s CPI score went down this year and among these are: deficits of delivery of anti-corruption pledges, attempts to curtail independence of the ACC, deficits in bringing to justice those alleged of corruption e.g. Padma Bridge, Railway Scam, Stock Market, HallMark, Destiny, Sonali and other Banking Scams, Rana Plaza, disproportionate accumulation of wealth, denial syndrome, unabated grabbing of land, river & water bodies, loan default, contracting and recruitment business, politically linked business opportunities, weaknesses of institutions of accountability especially Parliament, conflict of interest issues, whitening of black money, and illicit financial transfers are important,” Dr. Ifetkharuzzaman further added. 

He also underscored that because of lack of proper understanding about CPI people of the country are blamed to be corrupt which is not right.

“Majority of the people here are not corrupt but rather victims of it and because of the failure of our leadership to fight against the corruption of the powerful echelon they can never be blamed,” said Dr. Ifetkharuzzaman.

TIB Chairperson Advocate Sultana Kamal, who also presided over the function, said that because of absence of a culture of accountability and pervasive corruption, the poor people of the country are suffering.

“We haven’t noticed firm visible action from the government to effectively prevent corruption,” she said. “So the government should take the responsibility in failing to keep up its political commitments,” she added.

TIB’s Trustee Board’s members M Hafizuddin Khan and ATM Shamsul Huda and deputy executive director Professor Dr. Sumaiya Khair, among others, were present at the conference.

BDST: 1350 HRS, DEC 03, 2014/ updated 1405hrs