Presenting transfer, dismissal, and compulsory retirement as the maximum punishment for corrupt public servants is insufficient and can encourage corruption instead, the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said Monday.
In a statement, the anti-corruption watchdog called upon the government to bring corrupt public servants to proper trial to ensure exemplary punishment in accordance with legal proceedings.
According to media reports, officials from the National Board of Revenue and the police facing corruption allegations have been transferred or compelled into retirement.
Describing these administrative actions as “promising”, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman stated, “It has become normalised to limit disciplinary actions such as transfer, dismissal, or compulsory retirement for government employees accused of corruption.
“Such measures, however, fall short in effectively ensuring accountability and deterring corruption. Crimes like corruption can spread to other officials and beyond if punishment is limited to transfers alone. Public servants do not have to face the law if they are involved in corruption. In fact, the widespread acceptance of this idea can further encourage corruption.”
Dr Zaman pointed out that amendments relaxing provisions in the Government Service (Discipline & Appeal) Rules over time have effectively provided a protective shield.
“It is a blatant violation of the Constitution to shield public servants from liability for corruption through mere divisional actions. According to Article 27 of the Constitution, all citizens are equal before the law. Limiting punishment for public servants accused of corruption to measures like transfer, dismissal, or retirement is the indication of discrimination against people of different professions and classes. It also works as the predominant factor for the spread of corruption across various areas within the government sectors through collusion,” he said.
Dr Zaman demanded that officials accused of corruption face investigation and trial through the standard legal processes applied to all citizens.
Citing that there is no way to ignore the political responsibilities regarding the glaring examples of the recent corruption of public servants, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, “While some leaders within the ruling party acknowledge institutionalised corruption, many attempt to shift blame solely onto government employees. However, it can not be denied that high-level corruption often involves political patronage and collusion.
“The failure to effectively combat corruption is partly due to political leaders’ avoidance of responsibilities for their influence over key institutions. Moving beyond mere rhetoric of a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, political leadership must accept responsibility and enforce genuine measures to root out corruption. This requires a shift from lip service to substantial actions that rebuild public trust and uphold ethical governance standards.”
