Transparency International of Bangladesh (TIB) on Thursday recommended formation of an independent and neutral commission for the reform of banking sector ‘riddled with corruption and irregularities’. Citing the decision of forming a banking commission as a positive move, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman, in a press release, said the formation of a commission under Bangladesh Bank will be pointless. “According to media reports, the government is going to form a commission under Bangladesh Bank for the banking sector reform. This is a positive move but forming a commission under Bangladesh Bank will be meaningless…,” he said adding that the central bank failed to play an effective role as the regulator of the banking sector which is on ‘the verge of extinction’. If the commission is formed under Bangladesh Bank, it will create conflict of interests and hamper the objective, he added. The TIB executive director urged the government to form an independent commission with renowned and acceptable experts in banking sectors who will place short-, middle- and long-term recommendations for the sector staying above all influences.  “We strongly believe that the government will realize the importance of the situation and form a neutral and independent commission as soon as possible,” he added. Source: UNB AH

This year relief fund money was spent for the visits of ministers arranged at the flood affected areas. Besides, relief items were distributed among party leader and activists under political consideration. Such allegations came from anti-corruption organization Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, there are allegations of irregularities and corruption during distribution of relief items among flood affected people in 2019. His remarks came in while publishing research report titled ‘Transparency in combating, preparation and relief distribution in floods -2019’ at TIB headquarters in the capital on Sunday. The report said, there is allegation that relief fund money was used for ministers’ visit in the flood affected areas. The report also mentioned about relief items distribution under political consideration, kinship, some people received relief materials twice, depriving people of relief items if complains are made and providing less rice than the requirement. AH        

Private research organization Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said, it is nothing but a hoax that the owners have provided in the name of increased wages to the workers of readymade garments sector. Though it is shown in the new wage framework that salaries have been increased but the workers in this sector are getting 26 per cent less salaries.  The claim came from a press conference held at the TIB office in the capital on Tuesday. The press conference was arranged on the occasion of publishing a research report titled ‘Good governance in readymade garments sector: Progress and challenges’. In the press conference TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, there are rules to increase the salaries at the rate of five per cent annually. According to that calculation wages are not increased but in the real perspective overall salaries are decreased by 26 per cent. Upholding statistics TIB said, according to the declared wages of 2013 the first grade salary was 8 thousand 500 taka. In the declared wages of the current year it was made 10 thousand 938 taka. But according to 5 per cent increment the salary should be 13 thousand 343 taka on December 25, 2018. As per calculation wages were decreased by 2 thousand 405 taka or 28 per cent. In such way under the new wage framework the salaries were decreased by 26 per cent overall. TIB Assistant Program Managers Nazmul Huda Mina and Md. Mostafa Kamal presented the research report. Iftekharuzzaman said, though there are progresses in garments sector but there are deficit in every aspect. Workers rights are not getting enough importance. There is hoax in increasing the minimum salary. In real it was thought that salaries had been decreased. It was reflected in our report. Salaries have been decreased by 26 percent considering the previous. Salaries were not increased rather those who waged movement are being harassed by filing cases. Even some were sacked. At that time TIB also demanded trial of the accused in connection with the Rana plaza accident by forming speedy trial tribunal. The TIB report also said, exports and benefit of the owners are given more importance than the rights of workers in readymade garments sector. AH   

Following the raised allegation of negligence and collusion against police in connection with the incident of Feni madrasa student Nusrat killing, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) thinks that only removal of OC from the police station is not enough. The comments came in through a statement sent by TIB on Thursday. In the statement TIB mentioned, there is need for demand of judicial inquiry over the allegation of negligence and collusion against police. To face such kind of situation there is no alternative of applying law from the hardest level against the responsible people and their associates. Mentioning that it is not enough to arrest the listed accused in a short span of time, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said, we hope the investigation will be conducted fairly and the culprits will get exemplary punishment. But we are panicked over the allegation of negligence to duty and collusion of concerned police official in the barbaric killing. So far we know through published reports in different media, that police officer even did not accept the complain of Nusrat with due importance rather questioned about authenticity of that. Even that police officer tried to prove the killing of Nusrat as suicide. Allegation has also been raised against him about diverting the incident while filing the case. Dr. Zaman said, there should have fair investigation of every allegation and against the concerned police officer that means police administration overall has to be brought under accountability. For this we demand judicial inquiry. AH      

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) expressed strong protest and condemnation over the government decision of forming committee to control road accident headed by former minister Shajahan Khan. TIB expressed the condemnation and protest through a statement on Tuesday. In the statement TIB executive director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, when no initiative is taken to prevent road accident- at that moment in which way the committee was formed- it will make the willpower of the government as questionable. He said, it is impossible to hope that the committee will work as a neutral and independent body as representatives of transport owners and workers were kept there who played controversial role in the previous. Expressing concern Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, the controversial role and questionable attitude of the former shipping minister following the death of two students in road accident last year, on pretext of that the unprecedented student movement and against it his and other committee members’ comments and stance made the process questionable. He said, this committee formation is not compatible with the Prime Minister’s declaration of establishing good governance and accountability in all sectors. Sourcing TIB research on road transport management he said, unlimited irregularities, willfulness, injustice, negligence to duties and limitless dishonesty by the influential persons are going on in the road transport sector. Mentioning transport sector has turned into hostage by the influential owners and workers organizations the TIB Executive Director said, the committee with persons who are involved in feud of interest, cannot bring any fruitful result. He urged the government to reform the committee with neutral, reputed experts and persons involved in road safety movement.      AH

Though there is disagreement but Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Iqbal Mahmud has welcomed the TIB report. He said, there is disagreement; a report will not be trustworthy unless evidences are provided. The ACC Chairman said this in a prompt reaction to the newsmen over the recent published Corruption Perceptions Index-2018 at his office at Segun Bagicha in the capital on Tuesday. He said, we want explanation to the local branch of Transparency International (TI) on how and due to what reasons the corruption has increased. A report is not acceptable if facts and figures are not provided. We want specification. Oratory speech cannot point out number. The organization published the Corruption Index Report-2018 worldwide on Tuesday. The report published from the Bangladesh branch mentioned that corruption has increased in the country. Bangladesh placed 13th among the most corrupt countries. It was 17th in the previous year. That means Bangladesh has degraded 4 stages in one year according to the index. Which is embarrassing said TI. And the place is second in South Asia. TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman described in detail about Bangladesh’s position in the Corruption Perceptions Index-2018. He said, Bangladesh’s score is 26 out of 100. It is two points less than the point of 2017. The situation is embarrassing for us considering the ranking. Bangladesh’s position is 149 out of 180 countries from the up. Which is 6 steps down than the last year. Last year it was in 143rd position. In this pretext in a prompt reaction ACC Chairman Iqbal Mahmud said, no law was passed in the parliament to diminish the liberty of ACC. TI is not our opponent and we are not also that. He said, the matter of money laundering is prevailing throughout the world. We cannot stop corruption but can decrease it. Mentionable, TI conducted the survey over 180 countries of the world. Number was provided to the countries from 0 to 100 in the survey. Somalia got the lowest number (10 score) and became the most corrupt country. Then the positions are for Syria and South Sudan (13 score). In the third position there are Yemen and North Korea (14 score). Denmark considered the least corrupt country securing highest score (88 score). Then the position is for New Zealand (87 score). Finland, Singapore and Switzerland are in the third position (85 score). After securing 26 score Central African Republic and Uganda are in 13th position along with Bangladesh. AH  

Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam said, when the published report of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) regarding the eleventh national parliament election will come to the Election Commission (EC) then answer will be given. EC has no comment over the matter of where they said what. He said these to Rtv online when was asked about TIB published report on Tuesday. Rafiqul Islam said, we have not received the report of TIB officially. I have seen the report on different online news portals. We do not know how they have conducted the survey or where they have gone to complete it. They even have not informed the EC over the matter. If we get the report then answer will be given after holding commission meeting. Meanwhile, on Tuesday Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam told the newsmen at his office that TIB report is prefixed and imaginary. He said, TIB claimed it as a research but that is not a research. To conduct a research the methods need to be applied those are absent here. Besides it was termed as the primary report. That means it is imaginary. Earlier in the morning TIB published their report on eleventh national parliament election at a press conference at MIDAS center in the capital. There they said, there are allegations of irregularities in one or more than one voting centers of 47 constituencies out of 50. Forge votes were casted in 41 constituencies and seals were given on the ballot papers in the earlier night in 33 constituencies. AH       

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has expressed deep concern as the results turned questionable and controversial following allegation of code of conduct violation including applying force and loss of 19 lives. Besides, the organization has demanded for judicial inquiry over the incident of Representation of People Order (RPO) violation throughout the country including Dhaka known through mass media. TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman upheld this demand in a statement on Monday. He said, we demanded that level playing grounds be created for all stakeholders from the beginning. However, news of attacks, repression and lawsuits intended to harass the candidates and their supporters of a contending alliance as reported by the national and international media is an ominous sign for democracy. Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, such harassment allegedly continued even the night before and day of elections. The most worrying fact is that people might lose their confidence on the system of democracy. He said, the way the Chief Election Commissioner tried to shrug off the allegations regarding the polling agents of an alliance is embarrassing and the concern has deepened whether the commission could effectively carry out its constitutional duty. He also said, the negative incidents like violation of RPO happened even in the capital in the name of lunch time break in the election. The way it was published in the local and international media in the reports that cannot be said as propaganda. Besides, leaving the spot with box fill up with ballot papers before the voting starts, running short of ballot papers before casting votes of many voters, assaulting candidate in the vote center-TIB thinks that these incidents need immediate investigations.     Iftekharuzzaman said, Ensuring justice through a judicial probe of the allegations will be of immense value for the credibility, self-confidence and public trust of a government that is being formed in the wake of an unprecedented outcome of an unprecedented election. AH    

Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, there is lack of faith for holding election under partisan government. TIB thinks that the situation has turned into this stage for ruling party’s effort to create dominance in election and for rejecting the result by the defeated parties. But TIB thinks that fair election is possible under partisan government if there is faith among political parties. He said these at a press conference organized at the TIB office at Dhanmondi in the capital on the occasion of publishing report titled ‘Inclusion of recommendations for election manifestoes of political parties’. Iftekharuzzaman said, it should not be said that all the elections held under the present government were controversial. The elections which held in good manners were possible as the political parties wanted. Elections are not conducted by only the Election Commission, political parties have a big role to play. So, will of political parties is a big regulator for holding fair election. He said, there is lack of faith among the political parties. It is also seen among the people. As a result many think that fair election is not possible under partisan government. The eagerness that is seen for publishing election manifesto among the political parties, it is not seen to implement those after winning the election. The TIB chief said, in earlier elections different political parties met certain pledges for good governance but some pledges were not meet. Among those there are effective parliament, appointing ombudsman, annulment of black laws, wealth information of peoples representatives and autonomous of radio-television. In the program TIB upheld 35 recommendations in 6 categories to include those in the election manifestoes of political parties for the eleventh national parliament election. The main recommendations are- party chief, head of government and leader of the house should not be one person. There will be no balance of power if three posts holder is the same person. Providing more opportunities for the opposition parties to take part in parliamentary activities, appointing Deputy Speaker from the opposition parties, annulment of section 70 of the constitution and others. Top officials of TIB were present in the program. AH  

Law enforcing agencies are the most corrupt service sector in the country. Then there are passport offices and BRTA. The information was revealed in a survey of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman delivered the information at a press conference on publication of household survey of the organization at its Dhanmondi office in the capital on Thursday. In the press conference he said, TIB conducted a household survey throughout the country. There people were asked to answer about obstacles to get services based on specific questions. According to the survey, in 2017 overall 66.5 percent people are victims of corruption in service sector. Of those highest 72.5 percent corruption took place in law enforcing agencies, 67.3 percent in passport offices and 65.4 percent in Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). It said, general people were forced to pay 5,930 taka bribe per household in the year 2017 and the three highest bribe collecting sectors were gas (33,805 taka), judicial service (16,314 taka) and insurance sector (14,886 taka). The amount of nationwide exchanged bribe in 2017 was 10 thousand 6 hundred 88 crore 90 lakh taka; which was 3.4 percent of the national budget (revised) of the fiscal year 2016-17 and 0.5 percent of the national GDP. The amount of per head bribe was 658 taka in 2017; which was 533 taka in 2015. TIB also said, corruption increased in 2017 as notable way than 2015 in some sectors (such as- gas, agriculture, BRTA, judicial service) and in some sectors corruption decreased like education, passport and local government divisions. The survey mentioned that 89 percent household of the bribe payee showed reason for paying bribe as ‘service is not available if not paid bribe’- that means bribe collection is institutionalized; which was 70.9 percent in the year 2015. AH