Awami League-led Grand Alliance has reacted on the Transparency International Perception Report 2014.
The report launched by Transparency International on Wednesday said Bangladesh had performed poorly both in terms of perception and curbing corruption during the last one year.
The ruling Awami League outright rejected the report, questioning the very basis on which it was prepared.
The TI said in its report that the CPI, which measures perceived levels of public sector corruption worldwide, is based on expert opinion from around the world.
TI's local chapter Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) told in a press conference in Dhaka that weakening of the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Jatiya Sangsad heavily contributed to Bangladesh's miseries in the global index.
Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, joint secretary general of the ruling party, said: "This [the report] has created doubts among people. The Anti-Corruption Commission has proved its efficiency and neutrality by arresting incumbent lawmakers for the graft."
Terming this as a rare example in the country's history he said the report was aimed at rendering the Anti-Corruption Commission controversial.
The Awami League leader alleged that the report has just echoed BNP and Jamaat questions about the parliament.
It will instigate the opposition parties, the lawmaker said.
The TI also said the CPI report painted an alarming picture because not one single country had emerged as fully free of corruption, with more than two-thirds of the countries scaled near the higher threshold of corruption prevalence.
BNP leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said: “This is nothing new. It [prevalence of corruption] is well established in the country and all the people of Bangladesh are affected by it – some highly and others slightly.”
Khosru, also an adviser to the BNP chairperson, added: “As parliament is not legitimate, the government does not have any accountability and transparency. That fuels corruption. Corruption will keep on rising as long as the illegitimate government stays in office.”
The CIP report mentions that Bangladesh showed signs of improvement in terms of curbing corruption after 2006, the year BNP completed its previous tenure.
In 2005 and 2006 – the last two years of BNP's last tenure – Bangladesh ranked 158th and 156th in TI's CPI. This year, Bangladesh is ranked at 145th. Last year, it was at 136th.
Golam Mosih, political secretary of the opposition leader in parliament Raushan Ershad, said: “I agree that corruption has increased. There is nothing to hide. But the rise in corruption is not linked to any political government but rather to the population boom.”
The Jatiya Party leader also said: “There is no reason to think that if BNP or Jatiya Party assumes office, corruption will fall. The fact is that as the number of people is increasing, people's activities are also increasing. So, corruption will take place as human values are about to be vanished. It [the report] seems politically motivated to me.”
Anisur Rahman Mallick, senior politburo member of ruling alliance component Workers Party of Bangladesh, said he was not surprised.
“The media covers only a small portion of actual corruption. Many other cases remain unreported...Tough days are ahead. I do not believe that the government's goal of turning Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021 will be possible.”
Sharif Nurul Ambia, general secretary of another partner of the ruling alliance Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, said the precedents of corruption had not changed.
“One good thing is that the government has proceeded with corruption cases. But again, the country's image has not changed. Moreover, there is no real opposition in parliament. So, it is also a loophole,” he said.
Mujahidul Islam Selim, president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), said: “This is nothing new. We have repeatedly said corruption has spread like a virus from the top to the bottom. There is no alternative to waging a strong mass movement against corruption.
A massive change in the political arena is essential, especially, the two major political parties have to remain out of power. An alternative force with the people's mandate should have to come to the front to stop corruption.”
