Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index delivers bad news for Bangladesh: a score of 24/100 lands it 13th from the bottom in 2025, one rung lower than 2024 and below its 13-year average. In South Asia, only Afghanistan fares worse, cementing Bangladesh’s status as a regional laggard.
Among 180 countries, it’s one of 96 below the global 42-point average and part of 122 under 50. Dhaka’s Daily Star categorizes it among nations with ‘extremely serious’ corruption woes.
Last summer’s mass protests toppled a corrupt regime, igniting reform fervor. A slight score bump reflects that momentum, but the interim government’s track record is lackluster. Transparency and accountability pledges ring hollow as graft endures across government layers.
Reforms stutter: ordinances face resistance, the ACC sees no bolstered independence, and no strategic anti-corruption framework emerges. A pernicious ‘our turn now’ mindset among officials signals entrenched rot.
Contrast this with success stories like Ukraine and Vietnam, which digitized operations, reformed systems, and targeted elite corruption to improve standings. The CPI’s broader message? Corruption erodes even democracies globally, but willful leaders can turn the tide via prosecutions, open governance, and civil society support.
For Bangladesh, the clock ticks. A comprehensive agenda – with implementation muscle, risk mitigation, and unwavering enforcement – is essential to break free from this ignominious ranking and build a cleaner future.