Govt employees’ corruption unabated despite salary hike

The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Sunday said there is no visible progress in curbing government officials’ corruption despite their salary and allowance hikes.

The TIB said this at a press conference while unveiling its research titled ‘Integrity in Public Administration: Policy and Practice’ at its office in the capital.

Different issues including recruitment, promotion, and officers on special duty (OSDs) were presented.

TIB programme manager Mahua Rauf presented the report. She said some of the national integrity strategies have not become fruitful due to political and other influences.

She said, five of the eleven strategies related to the public administration are satisfactory.

The practice of the three strategies is yet to start, she added.

Highlighting various statistics, Mahua Rouf said the trend of contractual appointment in the public administration has recently risen. The choice of the ruling party is considered in most of the contractual appointments.

“Seniority is violated during the promotion for political consideration. The intelligence reports are given importance in the promotion although such a matter is not mentioned in the rules of promotion. The concerned officials have no scope to know which intelligence agency is giving what sort of report,” she added.

New deputy commissioners were appointed in 55 districts before the last election. According to the experts, it is part of election preparation of the ruling party. Intelligence reports are used as a strategy in posting deputy commissioners. The political affiliation is judged in those reports, whether the officials were connected with any political party except the ruling party.

TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman said there are some progresses in the public administration. Some steps are yet to be taken, he added.