The latest Citizen Perception Survey (CPS) conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has laid bare the deeply entrenched corruption plaguing Bangladesh’s public services.
Our newspaper on Friday reported that with over 63 per cent of respondents reporting bribe payments at the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) alone, the findings confirm what many citizens already know: corruption is not incidental but systemic.
The BRTA tops the list of 21 public service categories marred by bribery, followed closely by law enforcement (61.94pc %), passport offices (57.45pc %), and land services.
Alarmingly, more than 31 per cent of all public service users reported paying bribes in the past year, with men disproportionately affected.
Wealth appears to influence access as well, with the affluent often paying more to fast-track services.
Beyond corruption, the survey reveals unsettling levels of social discrimination and harassment.
Nearly one in five respondents experienced discrimination, mostly based on socioeconomic status or gender.
Urban areas, paradoxically perceived as more progressive, reported higher levels of such incidents.
The numbers are not just statistics; they represent a profound erosion of public trust.
Institutions meant to serve the people are instead extracting illegal payments from them.
Even the Ministry of Education has come under scrutiny, with staff transfers reportedly manipulated through intermediaries.
These findings align with those from Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), which estimates that citizens have paid Tk 1.46 lakh crore in bribes since 2009.
The judiciary, ironically tasked with upholding justice, remains one of the most expensive and corrupt sectors.
Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud rightly observed the disturbing normalisation of bribery in public life.
Yet, the fact that nearly 70 per cent did not encounter bribery also suggests that reform is possible.
The government must act decisively.
This includes digitising public services to reduce human discretion, enforcing anti-corruption laws, and empowering citizens to report abuse without fear.
Equally vital is ensuring that oversight institutions themselves remain beyond reproach. Ignoring this data risks deepening inequality and disillusionment.
Addressing it could be the first real step toward rebuilding public faith in the state. The CPS has done its part. The rest is up to those in power.
