Bangladesh Ranks 14th in Global Corruption Index: TIB

Dhaka : In the 2024 global corruption index, Bangladesh has secured the 14th position among the most corrupt countries. Last year, in 2023, the country was ranked 10th. However, this four-step improvement is not due to a reduction in corruption within the country, but rather because of the worsening conditions in other nations.

Bangladesh’s score on the 100-point scale was 24, down from 23 last year. This means the level of corruption has actually increased, but Bangladesh has moved up the ranking as other countries performed worse. Denmark recorded the lowest corruption levels in 2024, while South Sudan had the highest.

On Tuesday morning, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) unveiled the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2024 at a press conference held at the Midas Centre in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi. TIB’s Executive Director, Iftekharuzzaman, presented the report, which was based on data collected from November 2021 to September 2024.

According to the CPI, the level of corruption in each country is measured on a scale from 0 to 100, where 0 represents the highest level of corruption, and 100 indicates the least corruption.

Bangladesh’s Status
In 2024, Bangladesh’s position slipped two places to 151st, compared to 149th last year. Among South Asian countries, Bangladesh has the highest corruption levels, except for Afghanistan. With a global average score of 43, Bangladesh scored just 23. This is the lowest score for Bangladesh in the past 13 years.

TIB’s Executive Director, Iftekharuzzaman, stated, "The extent of corruption in Bangladesh is deeply concerning. While the government has spoken out against corruption over the past 13 years, in reality, it has fostered and supported corruption, even assisting in its perpetration."

Least Corrupt Countries
Denmark holds the top spot in the CPI with a score of 90, making it the least corrupt country. Following Denmark are Finland (88), Singapore (84), New Zealand (83), and Luxembourg, Norway, and Switzerland (81), all tied for the fifth position. Among South Asian countries, Bhutan has the least corruption, with a score of 72, ranking 18th.

Most Corrupt Countries
South Sudan ranked as the most corrupt country in 2024 with a score of just 8. Somalia, Venezuela, and Syria follow as the most corrupt nations.