Graft level stays same

Bangladesh ranked 13th from bottom in TI’s corruption index

remains static ranking 13th from the bottom in terms of curbing corruption, according to Transparency International’s annual corruption perceptions index (CPI) released on Wednesday.

In 2011, the country was also ranked 13th from the bottom.

The country however slipped by 24 steps to 144th place out of a total 176 countries indicating that Bangladesh’s corruption scenario deteriorated.

The information came as Transparency International (TI) released its annual corruption perceptions index (CPI) on Wednesday.

Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB), unveiled the annual corruption perception index at Brac Centre Inn on Wednesday morning while Bangladesh (TIB) Chairperson Sultana Kamal also present on the occasion.

On a scale of 0 to 100, Bangladesh scored 26, the report said.

TIB expressed its concern over Bangladesh’s 144th position while revealing the corruption index at Brac Centre Inn on Wednesday morning.

Bangladesh was ranked 120th from the top in 2011.

Among the South Asian countries, Bangladesh has become sixth from the top and second from bellow this year.

Bhutan is the least corrupt country in South Asia while Afghanistan is the most corrupt country.

Finland, New Zealand and Denmark jointly topped the 2012 list of least corrupt countries.

The Berlin-based global civil society group, campaigning against corruption, has been publishing the report every year since 1995. The report was published in Dhaka as well in other countries simultaneously today.

Source: The Daily Star