Bureaucratic harassment worse than graft: Hossain Zillur

Power and Participation Research Centre Executive Chairman Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman today (9 March) said that bureaucratic harassment can often be more harmful to businesses than corruption, as complex procedures and administrative delays create structural barriers to investment. 

Businesses frequently face prolonged delays and inconsistent regulations when seeking approvals or permits, he said at the launch of a publication, "Reviving Private Sector-Led Economic Growth: Critical Issues and Priorities Facing the New Government in Bangladesh," at the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry office. 

Zillur said such harassment is not merely an individual inconvenience but a structural feature of the system.

Only focusing on corruption is not enough to understand institutional weaknesses, he said, adding that institutions must also be assessed in terms of capacity and administrative complexity.

He emphasised that Bangladesh needs long-term structural transformation rather than just short-term crisis management to sustain development.

Citing the energy sector as an example, the economist said Bangladesh achieved a major success in settling maritime boundaries, but progress in gas exploration has remained limited.

Ensuring long-term energy security will require stronger policy focus and investment in exploration activities, he added.

Zillur also stressed the importance of improving institutional capacity, better use of data and faster decision-making to accelerate economic growth.

He noted that Bangladesh and South Korea had similar per capita income levels in 1972, but differences in development speed have since widened the gap significantly.