By Juliet Rossette
Corruption is a universal phenomenon, which challenges good governance and grinds down economic growth. It is an extensive term covering the exploitation of entrusted power for private gain and is one of the most decisive social problems for developing countries. Bangladesh similar to any developing nation faces over-population, poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, a backward economy, political instability, weak judicial, legislative and regulatory frameworks and corruption practices in different tires of service sectors and public administration as well. The lack of accountability, transparency and monitoring mechanisms has lead to the poor governance system here. Patriotism can act as a divine virtue which can never indulge unethical activities like corruption. But as a nation, it’s our misfortune that our devotion to the country is now just about lost in a black-hole.
Nowadays, socio-economic development, politics and our local culture are badly affected by the corruption which leads to additional costs and problems. Corruption has a negative, deleterious and divesting influence on investment and economic growth, administrative performance and efficiency and political development. Continuance of corruption in a country leads to economic malaise and squandering of public resources. It also lowers governmental performance, adversely affects general morale in the public service, jeopardizes administrative reform efforts and accountability measures, and perpetuates social and economic inequalities (UN, 1990).
In Bangladesh, about one third of the 158 million Bangladeshis are young (15-30 years). The civil society campaign pushing for a new Millennium Development Goals (MDG) framework estimates that 87% of the population is under the age of 25 in developing countries (Beyond, 2015). These numbers support the argument for the need to involve youth in the struggle for social change. In addition to representing a significant part of the population, young people tend to be more exposed to bribery and therefore are particularly vulnerable to corruption, as they are involved in almost every aspect of society – as students, pupils, workers, customers and citizens, (Transparency International, 2009). According to Transparency International’s (TI) Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) 2013, 27% of people under the age of 30 paid a bribe in that last 12 months worldwide. In Bangladesh, the country results demonstrate the vulnerability of youth to corruption (47% of youth, 37% of adults).
The two major obstacles to economic progress are lack of control and corruption. Corruption is the key reason for our underperforming human capital, poor investments in infrastructure and disastrous disaster management. It is a common attribute of most countries who have failed to develop properly.
Due to corruption, the users of political power consider public offices as a profitable source of income. To earn money, they establish a system to promote further corruption. Public officials also get involved into this circle to endorse this structure and to gain their own benefits as well.
If we think about the cost of corruption, the direct cost can be measured to some extent. To nourish the corrupt system we have to pay more tolls which lead to increased cost of goods and services for everyone. But the indirect cost is more difficult to quantify where corruption is seriously damaging the culture, ethical values and the economic potential of the country. The younger generation is losing work ethic and developing a false sense of power.
Corruption reduces private/public sector efficiency and introduces anarchy into the political process. In the context of Bangladesh corruption is the most alarming reality. The vast majority of the people are victims facing the challenges of corruption on a daily basis.
Information means empowerment. In National Youth Integrity Survey 2015 conducted by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) around 89% of youth said that they had very little information and knowledge regarding anti-corruption laws and regulations. Survey findings also indicated that family and friends mostly influenced the youth in building their views, concepts and perceptions on integrity. Nowadays, different programs are focused on raising awareness and strengthening the knowledge of youth through information dissemination. TIB has been engaging the Bangladeshi youth with social movements to fight against corruption through YES (Youth Engagement and Support) groups in 45 districts.
A study conducted by the Portland State University in 2005 looked at a variety of factors that have an influence on civic engagement among students, and concluded that having a sense of citizen political control and of community efficacy were the two most important conditions for youth engagement. Both derive from the concept of political efficacy, meaning that individuals feel that political action has an impact on the political process and that it is worthwhile for them to get involved with civic and political matters (Nishishiba, Nelson, and Shinn 2005).
In Bangladesh more than 90% are aware of what’s right and what’s wrong which shows their clarity on integrity standards. However, 4% to 10% of the respondents agreed that some wrong doings are currently accepted in our social context as the social system does not always allow them to act on their principles. In spite of having a strong moral perception of integrity, a significant portion of surveyed youth admitted that they would like to participate in corrupt acts for their personal gain in certain hypothetical situations (Khoda and Islam 2015).
The youth tend to be more open to wide-scale socio-political transformation and have less vested interested in maintaining the status quo (Transparency International 2009) thus they can play a vital role in reducing poverty. Young people are an essential element for the success of a cultural change in thoughts and deeds.
Endeavors such as youth camps for teenagers in academic institutions, collaborations with youth networks using social media, cultural competitions (art, music, essay or story writing, photography, sports etc.), and launching street theatre can be the gateway use to engage with the youth regarding this burning issue. Transparency International, through its national chapters, has been pioneering youth engagement approaches to strengthen this youth movement against corruption for the last few years. Different chapters of Transparency International like Morocco, Vietnam, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and Bangladesh are leading the way in promoting the youth engagement in this voyage.
The report, ‘Next Generation Bangladesh 2015 and Beyond’ published by the British Council records inspiring optimism among the next generation. However, it also highlights challenges like political restlessness, infrastructural deficiencies, scarcity of job opportunities, corruption and inadequate healthcare. Yet they remain optimistic. They envision a democratic, equal and green future for Bangladesh. Even a set of goals and objectives in SDG and the Seventh Five Year Plan are focused on youth development and security. All these can help the youth develop into the future of the nation that can take it forward, corruption free.
