Summary:
- Bangladesh ranks 14th most corrupt globally in Transparency International’s 2024 index, scoring a 13-year low of 23/100, tying with Congo and Iran.
- TIB highlights systemic flaws, including state-sponsored corruption, weakened institutions, and failure to enforce anti-graft laws.
- The score marks a steady decline from 25 (2022) to 24 (2023) and 23 (2024), with Bangladesh ranking second-worst in South Asia after Afghanistan.
- Critics dismiss government anti-corruption efforts as ineffective, citing political patronage and protection of corrupt individuals.
Bangladesh has been ranked 14th among the world’s most corrupt countries in Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), marking its worst performance in 13 years. The country scored 23 out of 100 points – tying with Congo and Iran – in the annual assessment of 180 nations released Tuesday by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).
Bangladesh’s CPI score declined from 25 in 2022 to 24 in 2023 before hitting this year’s historic low. The result continues a downward trend that began in 2012, when scores typically ranged between 25 and 28. “While the government has talked about combating corruption, it has nurtured and participated in it,” said TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman during the report’s unveiling at Dhaka’s Dhanmondi office.
The anti-corruption watchdog highlighted systemic failures contributing to the decline:
- Weakened institutional frameworks
- Failure to enforce anti-corruption laws
- State-sponsored protection of corrupt individuals
In South Asia, Bangladesh now ranks second-worst – ahead of Afghanistan (17 points) but behind Pakistan (29), India (39), Sri Lanka (34), Nepal (35), and Maldives (40). Globally, only 13 countries scored lower than Bangladesh in the index first introduced in 1995.
Government anti-corruption efforts have drawn criticism despite official campaigns, with TIB alleging that political patronage enables graft. The organization noted Bangladesh has consistently ranked between 12th and 16th globally in corruption indexes over the past decade. This year’s report comes as citizens face economic pressures from inflation and currency devaluation, with analysts warning corruption exacerbates these challenges.
