Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) has revealed certain disturbing information in a research report, certainly food for thought. The manner is which women are having to pay bribes in the sectors of health, education, land, banking, local government and more, in two unions of Gazipur and Jamalpur districts, indicates just how vulnerable women are in society.
The ground reality is that women are victims of corruption in all these sectors. It is ironic that in this country where there are stern laws against oppression of women, a woman victim has to pay anything between Tk 300 to Tk 40 thousand to file a case with the police and ensure a hearing in court.
TIB has recorded the experiences of 66 women who were direct victims of corruption when trying to avail services in the sectors of health, education, local government, land, law enforcement, NGOs, judiciary, banking, etc. It is shameful that a poor hapless woman even has to pay bribes to get a VGD-VGF card, to get digging work and even to get payments to which she is entitled. Corruption is firmly embedded in the service delivery system. Rather than taking the helpless and vulnerable state of women into consideration, the helplessness and vulnerability is exploited to the hilt.
How did such a lack of ethics take firm root in our public service delivery system? TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman said, those involved in such corruption are not being punished. This cannot continue in this manner. Stern steps must be taken to punish these persons. The service delivery system must be freed of such unethical financial dealings.
Source: Prothom-Alo
