Stronger data to fight corruption in BD
A two-day national workshop on measuring corruption in Bangladesh ended on Tuesday, with participants stressing the need to strengthen institutions’ ability to produce reliable data and use it to support reforms.
The workshop, titled “Measuring Corruption for Reform: Strengthening Evidence and Accountability in Bangladesh”, concluded with panel discussions involving oversight bodies and development partners on establishing sustainable accountability mechanisms.
The event was jointly organised by the Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, the embassies of Switzerland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Germany, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
It brought together government officials, development partners, academic experts, civil society representatives and international partners. The two-day event aimed to strengthen Bangladesh’s ability to track corruption trends over time and assess the impact of reform initiatives.
Participants discussed international good practices, the use of the UNODC statistical framework and ways to identify gaps, opportunities and priorities for improving corruption measurement and cooperation.
Around 40 experts from relevant institutions reviewed existing data sources, including household surveys, administrative records and transparency assessments, to help build a comprehensive evidence base for national reforms.
At the opening high-level session, Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Justice A K M Asaduzzaman attended as the chief guest.
He said sustainable anti-corruption reforms required collective commitment, stressing the importance of strong institutions, effective oversight, public participation and a culture of integrity.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Director Md Emdadul Haque said the bureau remained committed to supporting efforts to strengthen evidence for development and governance reforms within its mandate, and in cooperation with relevant institutions where necessary.
Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh Reto Renggli said society needed a change in attitude and mindset to address corruption.
“This must start in kindergarten and classrooms. Following rules is one thing, believing in the rules is a social precondition,” he said.
Norwegian Ambassador Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, who attended as a special guest, said Bangladesh could become one of the first countries to implement the UNODC Statistical Framework to Measure Corruption if the initiative moved forward. He said such a step would receive positive international attention.
UN Resident Coordinator a.i. Max Tunon said measuring corruption and assessing the impact of anti-corruption efforts were important for effective governance, sustainable development and public trust.
He reaffirmed the UN system’s commitment to implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption and relevant resolutions on corruption measurement.
He also said the UN would support evidence-based public policies through the adoption of the UNODC framework.
Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the main challenge in Bangladesh was often not the lack of corruption data, but the lack of interest and commitment to use available information and knowledge.
He also called for innovative ways to measure the effects of the global money-laundering economy on source and host countries.
Dr Sofie Schuette, principal adviser at the Anti-Corruption Resource Centre of Chr. Michelsen Institute, and Shah Mohammad Naheeaan, head of office at UNODC, also attended the high-level session.
Schuette said credible evidence could help Bangladesh turn anti-corruption commitments into meaningful change by guiding reforms, strengthening accountability and making progress visible.
