Transparency International-Bangladesh Chapter undertook a three-tier
survey in order to ascertain the nature, extent, intensity of corruption,
and the places where corruption occur. Initially a pilot study was undertaken
and then the second phase, a base line survey, was undertaken. In the
pilot study a small scale national household survey was undertaken to
obtain information on public services performed in six different sectors
and the corruption that took place in performing those services from a
recipients' point of view. Simultaneously, an institutional survey on
performance or delivery of public services in six sectors was conducted
to obtain information from a provider's point of view. In order words,
the surveys took into account both the 'giver' and 'receiver' points of
view.
Furthermore, on the spot verification information was also collected
from the persons receiving services at the various institutions. The sectors
that the pilot survey looked at were education, health, judiciary, grameen
shalish, police service, land administration, financial and the public
perception of corruption.
The second phase of the survey, the base line survey, consisted of a
sample size of 2500 households and the information obtained related to
services provided by various sectors, delivery of services and corruption
in providing those services. The pilot study furnished valuable guidelines
on scope, conceptualization and coverage. The base line survey extended
the sectors, and the additional sectors were municipal service sector
(water supply, electricity supply, holding tax and business and trade
license), public transport and news media (newspaper). Below are some
of the findings of the surveys (see appendix - Base Tables).
The Results
In any civilized society the two most important factors which would be
the indicators of the quality of life are firstly, the protection of life
and property and, secondly the dispensation of justice. In Bangladesh,
as the survey results revealed, both these factors are largely absent.
Police
The most startling findings of the base line survey revealed that about
one-half of the complaints (49.5%) made prior arrangement with the police
for disposal of their cases; a majority (55%) of the prior arrangements
was not to send the disputes to the court, while nearly two-fifths (38%)
of the arrangements was to send the complaints to the court for disposal.
About 71% of the respondents reported that police deliberately delayed
sending the cases to the court.
More than two-thirds (68.1%) of the complainants reported to have payments
to the police for filing complaints as First Information Report (FIR).
Payment to the police was made directly by the complainants (40%) , followed
by payments through office employees (34%) and through local dalal (go-between)
(26%).
It is, therefore, not surprising that the public opinion of the police
is very low. The survey revealed that 96.3% of the total households expressed
the view by way of their complete agreement or general agreement with
the assertion that it was almost impossible to get help from the police
without money or influence.
Judiciary
The other startling piece of information is that the standard of the
legal system, particularly the legal profession, has plummeted. More than
three-fifths (63%) of the households involved in court cases reported
that they had to bribe the court officials. The proportion of rural households
paying bribe money to court officials was 63.6% compared to that of 57.1%
of urban households. Cash for bribe was paid to the court employees by
73.1 of households, followed by 16.3% of households to opponent's lawyer.
Majority of households (53.3%) made payments for bribe directly, i.e.,
in person, and 28.1% of households through the lawyers.
The inordinate delay in resolving court cases is also borne out by the
survey figures. The fact that a large number of households (85%) had pending
cases is the first indicator of how chronic the state of affair has become.
The second indicator is the expected time for the settlement of the pending
cases:
-
53.9% of the accused/plaintiffs reported that they were uncertain
about the period when settlement would be reached.
-
About 79.8% of them reported that delays in reaching settlement were
deliberate and due to (i) lawyers' business interests (42.4%) , (ii)
opponent's ill motive and manipulation (53.5%) and (iii) court's high
handedness (43.1%).
It is expected that the public would perceive the integrity of the judiciary
to be very poor indeed. The survey revealed that almost 9 out of every
10 households (88.5%) agreed or completely agreed that it was almost impossible
to get quick and fair judgement from the court without money or influence.
Policy makers have to take heed of this and implement multi-faceted policies
to improve the quality of court officials, lawyers and judges. In the
past the legal profession and system was held in very high esteem. The
general public had faith in the fairness of the people involved in the
judicial system. But over the last couple of decades that reputation has
been seriously tarnished due to the falling standards in education, relaxed
admission rules governing the professional bodies and interference in
the selection of the judges to the courts at different levels of judiciary.
Education
-
The falling standards in the education sector are also revealed by
the survey:
-
74% of the households used extra regular method for admission of their
children into school.
-
Among the various extra regular methods used, payment of donation
was most prominent and used by about 41% of the households.
When the households were asked about the ethical standard one out of
every five households believed that unethical practice existed in the
admission procedure.
Health
The survey revealed that approximately two-fifths (39.4%) of the households
reported payment higher than normal registration fees at the outpatient
department. The households who had patients seeking impatient treatment
also reported irregularities in admission procedure. Normal process of
admission was reported by only 41% of the households. Among the extra
regular methods for admission into hospital the frequently used methods
were:
-
consultation with the doctor at private chamber (20% of the households);
-
payment of extra money to the hospital staff (18% of households) ;
-
through hospital staff (9%) ;
-
and through influential persons reported by 9% of the households.
Measures of opinion showed that about 70% of the households either agreed
or completely agreed that. there existed unethical practices in the procedure
for admission into the hospital and a higher proportion (81%) held similar
view regarding supply of medicines or treatment at the hospital.
Municipal Service Sector: water, electricity, holding tax and business
& trade license
Another sector, which has a profound effect on the quality of life, is
the supply of public amenities. The base line survey revealed that only
about 44% of urban dwellers in the country had municipal water supply.
-
About 23% of the households reported difficulty getting water supply
and of these
-
about 17% of the households reported payment of extras money,
-
16% reported repeated visits and
-
12% reported long wait and red tape in getting water line.
In relation to electricity supply approximately 4 out of every 5 urban
households in the country reported to have electricity connection. Just
fewer than 30% of these households did not face any difficulty in getting
electricity connection to their house. The remaining 70% of the households
faced various difficulties: among the difficulties faced
- about 33% of the households paid money for electricity connection
and accessories,
- 21% reported to make frequent visits,
- 12% reported undue delay and
- 40% reported other unstated difficulties.
In relations to municipal assessment of holding tax on house and property
56% of the urban households found it acceptable and the remaining 44%
considered the assessment excessive. The excessive assessment was reduced
by 53% of the households through the Review Board and the other 47% had
their assessment reduced by arrangement with municipal staff on payment
of money ('system loss'). When asked for the households' views on the
assertion that it was almost impossible to get correct assessment of holding
tax without money or influence less than half (45.1%) lent support to
the assertion. About 16% of the households contradicted and the rest either
had no comments or did not answer.
Business and Trade License
The base line survey indicated that about one-third (35%) of the urban
households were involved in some business or trade and about 56% of them
had trade license. About one-half of the license holders reported difficulty
getting trade licenses, such as,
- payment beyond normal fee (49%) ,
- repeated visits to municipal office (40%) and other difficulties (18%).
About 65% of the urban households expressed the view that it was almost
impossible to get a trade license without money or influence. Only 8%
of the households contradicted that contention and the rest had no comments.
System Loss
System loss, in other words, theft or breach of trust, was revealed by
32% of the urban households. They stated that they obtained reduced water
bill by arrangement with the meter reader.
-
30% of the household reduced the electricity bill by similar means
and
-
47% of the households reduced their municipal assessment of holding
tax on house and property by arrangement with municipal staff on payment
of money.
News Media
The news media also came under heavy criticism as revealed by the base
line survey. A very large number of households (83.5%) who kept themselves
aware of news thought that newspapers were professionally unethical and
partisan. They expressed this view by agreeing or completely agreeing
with the contention that the owners and the management of newspapers inflates
or deflates news of events for their partisan interest. More than 95%
of the households, readers and non-readers, were of the opinion that newspapers
should be factual and impartial in furnishing the news.
Public Perception of Corruption
Public view was sought on what activities constitute corruption. The
base line survey revealed that among the choices put before them:
- 'misuse of position and power' was perceived as corruption by the
highest proportion of respondent (76%),
- 'negligence of duty' (75.7%),
- 'activity outside normal procedure' (67.7%),
- 'while on duty taking money for personal gain' (57.8%),
- 'misuse of power and fund for personal gain' (56.4%) and
- 'misuse of fund' (50.6%).
The two main institutions of the administration which came at the top
of the league table of corruption are
- Thana Police Service (97% of households) and
- the Judiciary (89%).
The other public offices in the league table in order of choice are the
Sub-Registrar's office, land Record office, Tehsil office and the Scheduled
Banks. Furthermore, the Thana Police Service (5 8%) and the Judiciary
(19%) were also identified as the most corrupt public offices. Ironically
enough 97% of the households also considered the Thana police station
as either important or highly important public service organisation!
Finally, the survey also revealed that the perception of causes of corruption:
-
76% viewed that 'desire to get rich overnight' was the main cause,
-
'moral degradation' (58%),
-
'lack of accountability' (51%) and
-
'inadequate salary' (32%).
Conclusion
The survey results indicate that Bangladesh is suffering from endemic
and chronic corruption and that is has infested every nook and cranny
of the society. It is in this context that the findings of the survey
are startling. These findings need immediate attention by the government,
donor agencies and non-governmental organisations in order to formulate
a comprehensive strategy to curb the cancerous growth of corruption. Transparency International
Bangladesh Chapter |
