Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has strongly condemned remarks by the state minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives, saying they appear to legitimise bribery under the guise of gifts.
At the inauguration of a training program for newly appointed assistant engineers of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) on Tuesday, the state minister reportedly said gifts offered to engineers from contractors' profits after bills are paid promptly, provided work quality is maintained, do not constitute bribes and may be accepted.
TIB questioned whether the remarks effectively legitimise bribery by suggesting that government engineers can receive personal benefits from contractors in return for performing their official duties.
The organisation demanded the immediate withdrawal of the remarks, clarification of the government's position and accountability for both the state minister and the secretary whose advice was reportedly cited in support of the statement.
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said verifying work quality, accepting completed projects and ensuring prompt payment of bills in accordance with regulations are routine responsibilities of government engineers.
"Engineers receive salaries and benefits from public funds precisely to perform these duties. Why, then, should they accept illicit payments from contractors under the guise of 'gifts' in return for carrying out their responsibilities?" he said.
He questioned whether the state minister was effectively encouraging the acceptance of bribes by suggesting that engineers could receive gifts for performing their official duties.
Advising newly appointed engineers, whose responsibility is to prevent irregularities in public procurement, to earn money outside the rules from contractors at the outset of their careers was irresponsible and unlawful, he said.
If such remarks are accepted, they could legitimise demands for bribes at the field level and lead to a wider spread of corruption, Iftekharuzzaman added.
He also urged the state minister to identify publicly the law or regulation that permits engineers to receive personal benefits from contractors' profits in exchange for performing their routine duties.
Citing relevant legal provisions, the TIB executive director said Section 161 of the Penal Code makes accepting gratification beyond legally authorised remuneration for performing official duties punishable by law. Section 165 also provides for punishment for accepting valuable items from individuals connected to an official's duties.
He further referred to Rule 5(1) of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1979, which requires prior government approval, subject to specified exceptions, for accepting gifts that create an obligation towards the donor.
Rule 5(4) sets a Tk500 limit for each gift received by secretaries and officers of equivalent rank from specified sources, while Paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 20 of the Public Procurement Rules, 2025 allows certain low-value promotional items, such as diaries, calendars and pens bearing an organisation's logo, worth up to Tk5,000 per item.
However, neither provision allows engineers to receive personal benefits from contractors as a reward for performing their official duties, he said.
Highlighting the risk of conflicts of interest, Iftekharuzzaman said engineers who accept personal benefits from contractors whose work they supervise may compromise their impartiality.
Such transactions could influence project supervision and bill certification, undermine fair competition among contractors and encourage collusion between engineers and contractors, he added.
He warned that the practice could spread to other government departments, normalising illicit payments under the guise of gifts as a condition for receiving public services.
The TIB executive director also questioned the state minister's reference to advice from a senior secretary.
"If the senior secretary did indeed offer such advice, as described by the state minister, serious questions arise about the secretary's professional integrity and ethical fitness to remain in office," he said.
He also questioned whether there was an attempt to institutionalise collusive corruption between the state minister and the senior secretary, adding that such a position would be embarrassing for the government and the ruling party and contradict the government's election manifesto.
Referring to a previous controversy over the road transport and bridges minister's remarks describing extortion as a matter of negotiated transactions, Iftekharuzzaman said corruption-enabling statements by senior government officials should be treated as warning signs.
TIB called on the state minister to publicly apologise and unconditionally withdraw his remarks. It also urged the government to seek a formal explanation from him, ensure accountability and verify the authenticity of the senior secretary's alleged advice before taking appropriate legal action.
