This is the lowest the country has scored in the past thirteen years
Illustration: TBS
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Illustration: TBS
Bangladesh has slipped two steps in the global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) to 151, jointly with Congo and Iran.
The country ranked 149th last year among 180 countries that were ranked, with Bangladesh coming second lowest after Afghanistan in South Asia.
This ranking was disclosed by Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), at a press conference today (11 February), marking the global release of the CPI 2024 report of Transparency International.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) presents the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2024 at a press conference on Tuesday, 11 February 2025. Photo: TBS
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Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) presents the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2024 at a press conference on Tuesday, 11 February 2025. Photo: TBS
The level of perceived corruption is measured on a scale of 0 to 100 in the Transparency International’s index.
A score of ‘0’ is considered the most corrupt, and a score of ‘100’ is considered the least corrupt or the most well-governed.
Bangladesh scored 23 out of 100 in 2024, 1 point less than the previous year and the lowest in the past thirteen years.
According to CPI 2024, Bangladesh has the second-lowest score and position after Afghanistan in South Asia. Afghanistan scored 17.
Since 2012, Bangladesh’s score in the CPI stayed between 25-28 until 2022. In 2023, it decreased by one point to 24.
According to the trend analysis of CPI scores from 2012 to 2024, Bangladesh’s score of 23 in 2024 is three points lower than the 13-year average score of 26 and is the lowest in this period.
‘Desperately-needed climate funds vulnerable to corruption in Bangladesh’
Transparency International, in its observation, said research shows desperately-needed climate funds are vulnerable to embezzlement and other corruption, and can be lost to irregularities in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is one of the largest recipients of climate finance.
Screengrab from Transparency International (TI) website
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Screengrab from Transparency International (TI) website
The global civil society organisation said increased transparency and improved accountability are vital to protect these life-saving funds for the benefit of millions of the nation’s inhabitants.
‘Governments in Asia Pacific failing to deliver on anti-corruption pledges’
In its observation of the Asia Pacific, Transparency International said governments across the Asia Pacific are still failing to deliver on anti-corruption pledges.
After years of stagnation, the 2024 average score for the region has dropped by one point to 44 in CPI 2024.
“This is especially devastating considering corruption’s detrimental impact on climate change – the biggest challenge humanity faces. Corruption obstructs environmental policy, hijacks climate financing and hinders the enforcement of regulations and policies, leaving the most vulnerable with little recourse,” it observes.
Transparency International said Asia Pacific is home to a third of the world’s population, has the second largest number of young people, and is the region most prone to natural disasters.
“Without concerted efforts to fight corruption now, this first generation currently facing extreme climate change will bear the brunt of its disastrous consequences,” it added.
Global corruption situation
Globally, the CPI scores of 56 countries have increased this year compared to last year. The scores of 93 countries decreased while 31 countries’ remained unchanged.
No country achieved a perfect score on the index’s scale of 0 to 100. Over two-thirds of the world’s countries scored below 50 this year, and 56% scored below the global average of 43.
While the scores of 32 countries improved in the index from 2012 to 2024, the scores of 47 countries declined, and 101 countries remained unchanged.
Denmark topped the list this year as the least corrupt country with a score of 90. Meanwhile, Finland is in second place with a score of 88, and Singapore is in third place with a score of 84.
With a score of 8, South Sudan is at the bottom of the list in 2024. Somalia is in the second-lowest position with a score of 9, and Venezuela is in the third-lowest position with a score of 10.