In our recent political history, corruption has become a buzzword due to its all-pervasive existance in all our public sectors and even in private organizations. Corruption has always been a constant phenomenon our country. But recent drives against corruption and a huge public conscience and consciousness against it have given it a new momentum.
Bangladesh has been branded as the most corrupt country in the world for consecutive four years by Transparency International. So, both local and international pressure and call have created an urgency to fight and crub corruption in Bangladesh.
Corruption can be defined in simple term as unethical and unfair practice or means to draw any profit or benefit that goes against law and harms others interest. In broad terms, corruption includes abuse of power distortion of standard practices and principles, bribery, favouritism, extortion, fraudulence, deception and illegal practices whereby a person or group draw personal benefit damaging others or country's interest. In our country corruption has been so rampant that it has become a matter of fact common affair. No government service or work could be done or is available without corruption.
Corruption is a social evil. Moral degradation and ethical decadence is the main cause of corruption. People's unscrupulous activities, avarice and greed to amass wealth, materialistic attitude of life-all these breed corruption. Besides these personal reasons there are some social causes of corruption. Capitalistic economic system, inequal distribution of wealth, excessive gap between wealth and proverty, economic insolvency, high living cost, unemployment etc. are the social and economic causes of corruption. Adding to this poor administrative system og government and lack of law and order in society also contributed to spreading corruption.
Corruption has entered each and every core of our administration, public governance, office and organizations. In a poor and underdeveloped country like Bangladesh the effects of corruption in economy and in politics are very devastating.
If government are corrupt, people do not get good service from them. If politicians and policy makers are corrupt, it affects and and retards country's overall developement. By doing corruption, a section of powerful people amass huge wealth and lead a very carefree and luxurious life. This creates social gap and discrimination. Administrative and institutional corruption creates depressiom and grivances among people. Corruption in education system lowers down standard of education. All these personal and corporate or institutional corruption seriously harms the image of the country, causes social and political instability, increasing economic and social crimes and aslo discrimination and disorder in the society. These, in the long run hamper social and economic development pf the country. Study shows that corruption is responsible for about 2% of GDP decrease and about 40% of our development budget is either misused or wasted due to corruption.
How to remove corruption from Bangladesh?
People's ethical sense should be strengthen. For this a good education system which stresses on creating morality is necessary. Consciousness about corruption and fighting against corruption is also necessary. Corrupt officials and politicians should be severaly punished. We should have good and effective laws for prevention corruption. A just and equal social and judical system is necessary to prevent corruption.
Accountable, transparent and efficient administration is also necessary. We must remove social injustice, social gap and wide gap between wealth and proverty. Besides, Anti-Corruption Comission should be made effective and independent so that they can fight and prevent it. People's patriotism and ethical sense should be developed. Corruption is a social malady. So it can be checked by social awareness and efforts.
Corruption is a matter of national disgrace. It also a social vice. Due to corruption only a handful of people gain, but mejority of the people suffer. It has now become a serious national problem. We must remove or curb corruption from the society in order to build a society based on equality, justice and fraternity.
