Overlooking service sector corruption is suicidal

The TIB (Transparency International Bangladesh) report on bribery and corruption has been an eye-opener.  It is alarming that the law enforcing agencies have been identified as the most corrupt sector in the country. 

The law enforcing agencies being corrupt means the other service sectors are corrupt too, as the law enforcement exerts control over the other institutions, directly and indirectly. 

Being the most corrupt does not imply that the bribery is taken for the respective sector only, it means the money is exchanged in other sectors too as the law enforcement has influence over other government institutions.

The government must take strictest measures to rid the police department of corruption.

The senior officials of the police department generally brag that the police enjoy the utmost privileges during the present government’s term.

They should show the people how they have utlised these incentives to rein in corruption.

The source of the privileges is actually people who pay the taxes.  The people will pay the extra money in a legal process for the police and yet these same people will be compelled to pay bribes to receive services from them. This cannot go on. 

It is clear that the people deprived of the services from government sectors have become the most helpless. This must be redressed fast. Accountability is imperative.

There are multiple consequences for the underprivileged section, especially the poor and marginal ones, lagging behind in receiving government services. They try to cope with the situation by bribing. This is lame to say that they can avail the rule of law in exchange of bribes.

The government policymakers should scrutinise even whether the people actually receive proper services or not. 

In the 2015 report, TIB said 71 per cent people could not avail services from the government agencies without paying bribe money. Within two years the percentage has increased to 89 per cent. It is evident that without effective measures this could rise to hundred per cent soon. The report says 66 per cent households of the country were victims of the service sector corruption.

The government policymakers sometimes neglect the issue of corruption. They should now take the TIB report as a wakeup call. If it is overlooked just like the other TIB reports earlier, it will go against the national interests and be suicidal.

It is important to calculate how far the ACC (Anti-Corruption Commission) measures are effective to secure the people’s interest. One of TIB’s findings should be given priority-the systems dependent on machines rather than people, were found to be less affected by bribery. The concept is also compatible with the idea of Digital Bangladesh.

We hope, wherever it is possible, machines are incorporated in the service sector. It is most important for the law enforcement that politicisation be stopped and professionalism revived.