Effects
of Corruption
The negative impact of corruption is extensive and
multi-faceted. The malpractice of corruption violates and oppresses citizens’
rights. It impedes the economic growth and development of a state. According to
Thompson (1993), corruption is a malaise not only because it siphons public
resources and opportunity to corrupt individuals, it also victimizes valuable
aspects of public life by undermining the scope of proper representation,
debate and choice. Poverty, bureaucratic inefficiency, political instability
and environmental degradation are obviously the results of corruption (Sweeny
1999). Kofi A. Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, in
his statement to the General Assembly of the United Nations Convention against
Corruption, has said:
“Corruption hurts the
poor disproportionately by diverting funds intended for development,
undermining a Government’s ability to provide basic services, feeding
inequality and injustice, and discouraging foreign investment and aid (United
Nations 2004, p. iii).”
Recommendation
v - Reform
the anti corruption bureau of Bangladesh for active against corruption,
v - Develop
comprehensive national strategies for combating corruption,
v - Strengthen
law enforcement mechanisms,
v - Develop
codes of ethics in public administration to be enforced by strong sanctions;
v - Strengthen
procedures for an effective and merit-based civil service,
v - Establishing
public-private partnerships to develop anti-corruption strategies,
v - Strong
commitment by top management of companies to implement anticorruption
strategies,
v - Accounting
and auditing rules and standards to ensure transparency in business
transactions,
v - Mobilizing
civil society to monitor good governance;
v - Implementing
education programs aimed at fostering an anti-corruption culture in society,
v - Enabling
the media to effectively exercise public scrutiny,
1. Public Sector
v - Establish the office of Ombudsman for
curving corruption fairly;
v - Reform the anti corruption bureau of
Bangladesh for active against corruption;
v - Develop comprehensive national strategies
for combating corruption;
v - Strengthen law enforcement mechanisms,
including the role of the judiciary and provide witness protection programs;
v - Increase transparency through the
establishment of competitive public procurement procedures and encourage the
adoption of international rules in this area;
v - Improve conditions for international investment
through simplification of government procedures,
v - Improve transparency and accountability in
budget preparation, execution, and oversight of expenditure,
v - Develop codes of ethics in public
administration to be enforced by strong sanctions;
v - Strengthen procedures for an effective and
merit-based civil service, particularly recruitment, promotion and pay, adopt
"Freedom of Information" laws and provide access to public
information,
v - Strengthen parliamentary oversight,
independent audit and investigative bodies to be backed by sufficient human and
financial resources.
2. Private Sector
v - establishing public-private partnerships to
develop anti-corruption strategies, goals and processes;
v - promoting good corporate governance on the
basis of international standards and principles;
v - strong commitment by top management of
companies to implement anticorruption strategies;
v - developing and implementing codes of
ethical conduct and ensuring their effectiveness through internal control
mechanisms, training of personnel and sanctions;
v - Accounting and auditing rules and standards
to ensure transparency in business transactions; building coalitions for
business integrity, including business ethics centers.
3. Media and Civil Society
v - mobilizing civil society (media, NGOs, business,
labor, and professional associations) to monitor good governance;
v - creating an anti-corruption network of NGOs
to share information on regional/country anti-corruption initiatives;
v - conducting surveys of businesses, consumers
and public opinion to provide feedback for delivery of public services and
fostering competition;
v- implementing education programs aimed at
fostering an anti-corruption culture in society;
v - enabling the media to effectively exercise
public scrutiny;
v - Improving ethical and professional
standards of journalists and promoting training in investigative journalism.
Courtesy: Md. Jahangir Alam
South-East University