TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL BANGLADESH Annual Report 2006
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www.ti-bangladesh.org MAKING WAVES: National Integrity Programme Phase-II ANNUAL REPORT 2006 Transparency International Bangladesh TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL BANGLADESH Annual Report 2006 CONTENTS I. Introduction: .... .... 3 TIB & Making Waves Project II. Executive Summary … … 5 III. Progress & Achievements .... .... 6 IV. Institutional Strengthening .... .... 12 V. Challenges .... .... 14 VI. Conclusions .... .... 15 Map of Bangladesh showing the CCC areas Financial Statement (separate file) 2 INTRODUCTION: TIB & MAKING WAVES PROJECT 1. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) is an independent, non-government, non- partisan and non-profit organization with a vision of Bangladesh where government, politics, business, civil society and the daily lives of the people shall be free from corruption. 2. In the context of the international movement against corruption, TIB is the accredited national chapter in Bangladesh of the Berlin-based Transparency International (TI). Accordingly, TIB partners and cooperates with TI and its chapters worldwide. 3. TIB is committed to values of democracy, justice, rule of law, transparency, accountability, integrity and impartiality. 4. TIB’s mission is to catalyze and strengthen a participatory social movement to promote and develop institutions, laws and practices for combating corruption in Bangladesh and establishing an efficient and transparent system of governance, politics and business. 5. TIB began its activities as a Trust in 1996, and has since devoted itself to the task of mobilizing a social movement to curb corruption and to promote good governance in the public, private and non-governmental sectors through greater accountability, transparency and citizen’s participation. The main objective of TIB is to catalyze a conducive environment for reduction of poverty and promotion of justice and human security. 6. This report is intended to present to the readers highlights of TIB’s work during January- December 2006. TIB - A Social Movement against Corruption: The Context 7. Corruption is a key national challenge for Bangladesh. Corruption implies abuse of entrusted power for private benefits. There is a close relationship between power and corruption, though not everyone in positions of power is involved in corruption. However, those who engage themselves in corruption, abuse their power – political, economic or social, within or outside Government – for personal gain. Corruption is also a behaviour or act that breaks away or contradicts from ethical and moral standard, laws and civic virtues. Corruption involves giving and seeking of favours, buying political influence, taking kickbacks, and bribes. Corruption may also include any or a combination of such acts as embezzlement, fraud, nepotism, negligence of duty, misuse of public or institutional fund and extortion. 3 8. Corruption is a menace that breeds and increases all forms of injustice – it accentuates poverty, prevents development, and undermines democracy and governance. It prevents rule of law, distorts market and stifles economic growth. Corruption creates and perpetuates social and economic deprivation and inequality. Corruption leads to violation of basic constitutional and human rights. It breeds crimes, social frustration and discontent. Corruption undermines the processes and structures that could be conducive to poverty reduction and promotion of human security. 9. Corruption is nothing new, nor it is peculiar to any particular context. It takes place in greater or lesser degree in all countries of the world, irrespective of political and economic system, big or small, developed or developing. However, in a developing country like Bangladesh its impacts are most unbearable. Corruption has become an issue of public interest in Bangladesh not merely because of the annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published by Transparency International which has for the fourth successive year ranked Bangladesh at the bottom of the list, but more importantly because of the way corruption affects the lives of the common people. 10. Irrespective of whether Bangladesh ranks at the bottom or higher in international comparison, there is a widespread public concern in the country about a pervasive presence of corruption. All the major political parties recognize corruption as a key national issue and almost invariably identify fighting corruption as a top electoral commitment. 11. Corruption must be fought comprehensively and strategically. Since the public sector is at the core of corruption and since corruption in the public sector is most unjustifiable and unbearable, it is incumbent upon the Government to lead the process. However, the people at large who are the ultimate source of power, have also a vital role to play at both national and local levels to combat the menace by exerting pressure and demanding change. 12. It is in this context that TIB sees itself as a catalyst and a social movement against corruption – for a comprehensive drive to promote effective citizens awareness and participation as well as collaboration and partnership with all stakeholders, including the Government. The main task is to contribute to the creation of an environment in which corruption will be hated and rejected by everyone and the anti-corruption movement will gain stronger grounds at all levels of the state and society. 13. TIB’s struggle is against corruption and its power base, not against the Government as such or any of its institutions or departments. As a matter of fact, as long as Government is also committed to eliminate corruption, TIB’s role is to strengthen the hands of the Government. 4 Making Waves 14. As a social movement against corruption TIB, is currently implementing the Making Waves project focusing on five main inter-related streams of nationwide activities. Commencing in January 2003 as the second phase of TIB’s National Integrity Programme, the main objective of the project is to contribute to the creation of a conducive environment in which participation in anti-corruption activities is substantially widened and strengthened. It is also aimed at expanding and sustaining the demand for accountability, transparency and efficient governance with particular relevance to the functioning of public and private bodies at all levels. The ultimate objective of the project is to catalyze conditions in which would strengthen the possibility of poverty reduction and enhancement of human security. The five streams of Making Waves activities are to: q Expand TIB’s network of community watchdog bodies - Committees of Concerned Citizens (CCCs) to increase awareness of people at the grass-roots levels and strengthen their participation in demanding quality service delivery by public, private and non-government sectors; q Strengthen the Advice and Information Centres (AICs) to support the CCCs and their constituencies with information, advice, training and other means of developing the capacity to prevent being victims of corruption at the local levels; q Establish a solid research programme including surveys, report cards and diagnostic studies, to probe into the nature, causes and consequences of corruption and disseminate the same with policy recommendations; q Undertake programmes of campaign and advocacy at both national and CCC levels for policy reform and institutional change; and q Develop and strengthen the capacity of TIB as the pivotal organization for steering the movement to combat corruption in Bangladesh and act proactively towards creation of an enabling environment. II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 15. This report highlights the main activities and progress achieved by TIB during the period January-December 2006 – the fourth year of the Making Waves project, second phase of the National Integrity Programme (NIP-II). 16. The key objective of the Making Waves project is to create demand for reduction of corruption and enhancement of accountability, transparency and efficient functioning of public and private bodies which could lead to a conducive environment for reduction of poverty in Bangladesh. The reporting period witnessed continued progress in implementing the planned activities including further strengthening of TIB’s institutional capacity. 5 17. In many ways the year 2006 may be considered to have witnessed better success than ever achieved by TIB towards achieving its core objective of creating and strengthening a social movement against corruption in Bangladesh. The external evaluators who conducted this year’s Output to Purpose Review (OPR) have given the Making Waves project the highest possible score for any project in DFID’s history, and expressed the confidence that the project outputs will be fully realized. As OPR report mentioned it was a year of amazing transformation. III. PROGRESS & ACHIEVEMENTS Committees of Concerned Citizens (CCCs) 18. Six new CCCs were formed at the beginning of the year, taking the total to 36, all of which have become fully operational by the end of December. The new CCCs are Savar, Munshiganj, Gazipur, Madariur, Faridpur and Rajbari. At the same time Advice and Information Desks (AIDs) have been set up in each of them. Planned activities at CCC level were held as scheduled. These included issue-based CCC-level seminars, sharing meetings with professional groups, workshops on anti-corruption issues with the participation of the cross-section of local citizens, monthly meetings of CCCs and volunteer groups and including theatre groups. Other innovative activities included activating