TIB finds ‘unbridled corruption’ in the Office of Comptroller and Auditor General

The Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) has revealed scathing research finds on ‘uncontrolled corruption’ in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (OCAG) of Bangladesh.

The TIB report alleges bribes ranging from Tk 4,000 to Tk 500,000 at various levels, including for recruitments and disposals of objections in the constitutional institution.

Even ministers, state ministers, MPs and chiefs of parliamentary committees lobbied for appointments of officials, the report said.

TIB Programme Manager Dipu Roy made the report public at a press conference at its Dhaka office on Thursday.

The report said Bangladesh’s supreme audit institution was unable to function independently because of political pressure.

The OCAG had lost its ability to control corruption, the local office of the Berlin-based Transparency International observed.

“There are complaints of widespread irregularities and corruption in getting favours in matters of recruitments, promotions, postings and trainings in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

“Along with political influences in recruitment, complaints have it that top officials are taking bribes ranging from Tk 300,000 to Tk 500,000 for appointing auditors, their subordinates, and drivers,” it said.

The report further alleged that groups of auditors allegedly received Tk 10,000 to Tk 500,000 as bribes from the audit unit.

The graft amounts depended on the ‘budget of the audit unit’, the TIB observed.

The TIB also alleged payments of bribes starting from Tk 4,000 to Tk 150,000 in civil audits, work audits, audit of foreign-aided projects, commerce, defence, disposal of objections, posting, telecommunication, science and technology, disposal of long-standing objections, and the selection of the auditors.

TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said there was allegation that, in some cases, ‘partisan political consideration’ was given precedence even in the appointment of the comptroller and auditor general.

“Along with six ministers, two state ministers, chief of a parliamentary standing committee, an MP, and a member of the PSC (Public Service Commission), political leaders lobbied and pressed for recruiting an official into the OCAG.

“It can be said those who are supposed to control corruption has become uncontrolled,” he said.

“The picture of the corruption in the office of the CAG is unacceptable. The institution that is supposed to unveil corruption has fallen victim to widespread corruption. There is no other alternative to remedying this,” he added.

TIB Chairperson Sultana Kamal said there was a lot of talk about decentralisation of power and freedom in work but ‘orders were still coming from the same place’, a practice incompatible with democracy.

“The executive has been given the responsibility to dilute the constitutional power of the jurisdictional institution for audit. So, it remains under the executive and is unable to fulfil its constitutional duties independently,” she said.

“How can someone’s work independence be ensured when he or she audits the prime minister’s office while being answerable to the prime minister?” she asked.

“We are in a culture where everyone exercises power on his or her subordinates,” she added.

The report has been prepared from data collected from public servants of 40 government offices between March 2013 and December 2014, the TIB said.

It had also published reports on research findings on OCAG in 2002 and 2012.

Challenges and Recommendations

The TIB report identified lack of skilled manpower and privileges, lengthy auditing processes, absence of policy to make the comptroller and auditor general accountable as ‘internal challenges’ of the top audit body.

The TIB executive director said the OCAG issued a press release on its report for the first time in November last year but it was hardly satisfactory.

“The process will have to be continued,” he observed.