A competition is being organized between corruption and the GDP. All sponsors from the organizing committee are happy to have organized this competition.
To show their satisfaction in this regard, they are continuing their campaign for some time. A stadium has been filled spectacularly to watch the competition. They are curious to see who will win.
Everyone is watching this competition, people from outside of the country also. Both sides are optimistic about winning. Some have also started betting on who the winner could be. Both the teams will be trying their best.
Eventually, corruption wins. Though GDP has more supporters than corruption, it loses ultimately.
Though it is an imaginary competition, the actual scenario is almost the same. Now, corruption flows through our blood. Because of corrupt people, our system has become corrupted.
According to Transparency International statistics, corruption has increased in 2018 compared to 2017. According to the Bangladesh Statistics Bureau, in the year of 2018-19, the growth rate will be 8.13%.
This is the highest rate of GDP. With it, our annual income rate per head is $1,909. But, most importantly, we are robbed by corruption, and it’s snatching everything from us.
According to the International Transparency Bangladesh, in the 2016-17 economic year, the amount of bribes was Tk10,688.90 crore. By comparison, the budget for Padma Bridge was estimated to be Tk161cr in August 28, 2007.
According to TIB, the most corrupt areas are law and order, passports, BRTA, judiciary, and land services.
In any country, if the amount of bribes is high as it is for us, it doesn’t matter whether the growth rate has increased or not.
Corruption isn’t only about taking bribes. If anyone doesn’t finish their work on time or doesn’t fulfil their duties, that too is corruption. If we go through the daily newspaper, we can see that all the biggest projects are not finished on time.
In Satkhira, the Shyamnogor Police Station does not file a GD without money. This is just an example. There are thousands of incidents like this. This is not acceptable. This is the corruption and this is a crime.
We started from zero, and now we have record number remittance. According to Bangladesh Bank statistics, last year, the remittance was almost $15,570m. In 2017, it was $13,534.9m.
In the publication of Forbes Magazine 30 under 30, there are two Bangladeshis named: Cartoonist Abdullah al Morshed and the co-founder of Pathao Hussain M Elius. This was a proud moment for Bangladesh.
Every year, remittance is increasing -- the youth are improving and making their stamp on the country. At this moment, we can’t lose against corruption. We have come too far.
If we are defeated, it will not matter what our economic growth is. It’s completely in our hands.
Benoy Dutta is an author and journalist. This piece was translated by Joyoti Das from Bangla.