BRTA tops as bribe hotspot, law enforcement close behind, finds BBS survey
Adviser says well-off people use bribery as tool to buy priority
A majority of Bangladeshi citizens continue to face bribery demands when accessing basic public services, with the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), topping the list of corrupt institutions, according to a recent survey.
The findings, released at an event in Dhaka today (19 June) by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), revealed that 63.29% of those seeking BRTA services had to pay bribes.
In December 2024, a Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) survey found that 85.2% of BRTA service recipients had to pay bribes. A comparison with the latest BBS data suggests that bribery has declined slightly under the caretaker government.
However, the BRTA remains the most corruption-plagued public institution in the country.
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Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, the chief guest at the event, acknowledged the marginal decline under the current interim government but warned that BRTA remains among the most corrupt.
He said bribery is not just a burden for the poor – it is also a tool used by the well-off to buy priority. "Those with money are paying bribes not out of desperation, but to speed up or improve their service experience."
In the survey, law enforcement agencies ranked second, with 61.94% of respondents reporting bribery during interactions – also slightly lower than TIB's figure of 74.5% from last year.
Other sectors identified in the BBS survey include passport offices (57.45%), land registry services (54.92%), and the judiciary, where over half of respondents (53.77%) encountered corruption involving judges, magistrates, or government prosecutors.
The February 2025 survey interviewed 84,807 citizens aged 18 and above from 45,888 households across all 64 districts, using 1,920 primary sampling units.
The survey was developed with support from UNDP, UNODC, and OHCHR, offering Bangladesh a detailed benchmark to assess institutional accountability and equality as part of its SDG commitment.
Regarding the survey findings, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said meaningful control of corruption and bribery hinges on holding all individuals accountable – regardless of identity or status – through exemplary legal action.
He said real progress will also depend on the effective implementation of the Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission's recommendations.
"Among the most critical is the proposal to fully digitise all service sectors," he said. "Minimising direct interaction between service providers and recipients is key to reducing opportunities for bribery."
Corruption across sectors
According to the report, 31.67% of citizens overall reported bribery in accessing government services. Men reported significantly more bribery experiences (61.43%) than women (41.85%).
Bribes were also common in the land records offices (51.40%), government accounts offices (44.68%), customs and VAT departments (35.37%), and local government institutions (32.91%).
Alarming levels of corruption were also reported across a range of public services, including healthcare, education, utilities, agriculture, banking, and even the Anti-Corruption Commission (1.99%).
Adviser Mahmud noted that public services, designed to be equitable, are being transformed into a "parallel system" where those with financial resources receive better treatment.
He also observed that women report fewer instances of bribery, which may reflect differences in access or exposure to public service interactions.
He described the education ministry as the most corrupt in terms of internal administration, particularly over staff transfers controlled by middlemen networks.
Influence and fairness
Many citizens remain sceptical of their ability to influence public systems. Only 27.24% believe they can affect government decisions, with the figure even lower – 21.99% – when it comes to political influence. Gender gaps were also evident, with just 23.02% of women expressing confidence, compared to 31.86% of men.
When asked about safety, 84.81% of respondents said they felt secure walking alone in their neighbourhoods at night, with men reporting greater safety than women.
An even higher percentage – 92.54% – felt safe staying at home after dark.
Altaf Parvez, a researcher of politics and history, said that women continue to feel unsafe, as mob culture and online harassment have become alarmingly aggressive.
"As a result, even under the interim government, many women do not feel comfortable speaking publicly about politics or state affairs," he added.
Parvez noted that while there were restrictions and controls during Sheikh Hasina's tenure, the current environment is marked by the rise of mob-style justice, making public discourse even more intimidating for many.
"People are still hesitant to speak about politics," he said. "Because formal complaints to institutions rarely lead to meaningful resolutions. This deepens a sense of disillusionment and apathy among citizens."
However, TIB's Iftekharuzzaman cautioned against drawing firm conclusions, noting that the survey data spans a highly uneven political period.
"It covers everything from the brutal suppression of dissent before the July movement to the historic opportunity for democratic transition that followed. Any interpretation must account for that dramatic shift in context," he said.
Mixed results on basic services
Public health services showed mixed results. While 82.72% of users said government hospitals were accessible and 89.34% found treatment affordable, only 65.07% were satisfied with facilities and 63.19% with staff behaviour.
Education services also revealed gaps. Although over 90% found primary schools affordable and accessible, satisfaction with quality and infrastructure fell below 80% at both primary and secondary levels.
Regarding civil documentation services, around 80% of citizens cited good access and affordability, but satisfaction with processing times stood at just 51.28%.
For dispute resolution, 83.6% of those involved in disputes in the past two years accessed either formal courts or informal channels such as community leaders. The vast majority (68.96%) relied on informal means.
Discrimination was reported by 19.31% of respondents, slightly higher among women and urban residents. The main grounds for discrimination are socio-economic status (6.82%) and sex (4.47%).
Discrimination occurs most frequently in own households (48.44%), public spaces/transportation (31.30%), and workplaces (25.97%). Only 5.35% of victims report these incidents to authorities.
