Secretariat Corruption Infecting Bangladesh’s Administration

Dr. Mizanur Rahman

By Dr. Mohd Mizanur Rahman, Vision Scientist and Health Administrator 

Corruption in Bangladesh has many faces, but its most powerful and enduring one sits squarely inside the walls of the nation’s highest administrative hub, the Bangladesh Secretariat. The complex of ministries that should serve as the engine of public service has instead become the breeding ground of corruption that spreads across every tier of governance.

The Secretariat is supposed to be where national priorities are set, projects are approved, and budgets are distributed. In reality, it has become a market where influence is traded daily. Files move faster when “speed money” is paid. Appointments, promotions, and contracts often depend more on personal connections than merit or public interest.

A 2024 report by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) again placed the Secretariat among the institutions most prone to corruption. It found irregularities in project approvals, procurement, and staff recruitment. Civil servants wield discretionary power not as a responsibility but as a weapon to extract illegal payments from contractors and citizens.

Corruption in the Secretariat is not an isolated problem; it trickles down. When senior bureaucrats misuse authority without consequence, it sends a dangerous message: integrity doesn’t pay. Junior officers quickly learn that loyalty and silence are rewarded, while honesty invites transfer or punishment.

This culture of impunity has created a bureaucracy that protects itself. Once the top tier becomes compromised, it becomes almost impossible to clean the lower ranks. The moral collapse at the top spreads downward like poison, turning governance into a self-serving system rather than a public service.

At the center of this dysfunction lies a quiet but powerful alliance between politicians and bureaucrats. Senior officials often align with ministers in a mutually beneficial partnership, bureaucrats ensure political convenience, while politicians secure their promotions or protect them from scrutiny.

Audit reports from the past few years reveal major irregularities in infrastructure and procurement projects across several ministries. Despite evidence of inflated bills and embezzled funds, few top officials have faced meaningful action. Files are routinely “under review,” a bureaucratic euphemism for deliberate delay until the scandal fades.

The Secretariat thus acts not only as an administrative hub but as a power broker, deciding tenders, transfers, and contracts that affect the entire machinery of governance. And where power flows unchecked, corruption inevitably follows.

The cost of Secretariat corruption goes far beyond money. It erodes public trust, weakens institutions, and breeds inequality. For every bribe taken, a citizen’s faith in the state diminishes. When citizens lose faith, democracy itself begins to hollow out.

Economically, the impact is massive. Development budgets are drained through mismanagement and inflated contracts. Experts estimate that Bangladesh could save billions annually if corruption in public projects were reduced by even 25%. Lost funds mean fewer schools, weaker healthcare, and delayed infrastructure, a direct blow to the nation’s progress.

Foreign investors, too, grow wary. When a country’s administrative core is perceived as corrupt, confidence in fair competition vanishes. That perception hurts Bangladesh’s long-term development goals far more than any temporary scandal.

For ordinary Bangladeshis, corruption at the top translates into daily hardship. Business owners must pay to get trade licenses approved. Citizens seeking land records or service certificates face unnecessary delays unless they “manage” the process. Even welfare programs meant for the poor are riddled with middlemen who pocket money long before aid reaches the needy.

Social media has exposed countless examples: fake tenders, ghost contractors, or “digital fees” that never enter government accounts. Each incident traces back to the same root, a Secretariat culture that tolerates and profits from corruption.

Over the past five years, several reform initiatives have aimed to curb corruption through digital governance. Online platforms for tenders and approvals were designed to minimize personal contact and, in theory, reduce bribery. Yet many officials have found new ways to exploit the system by delaying online approvals or manipulating data for personal gain.

The Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) was meant to promote transparency, but collusion among bidders and officials remains common. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) occasionally launches investigations, yet its independence and consistency are widely questioned. Selective enforcement has reduced it to a symbol rather than a safeguard.

Whistleblowers who try to expose wrongdoing often pay a heavy price. Transfers, demotions, and intimidation remain the norm. Without protection for those who tell the truth, corruption thrives in silence.

Fixing the problem demands starting at the top. The government must send a clear signal that no rank is above accountability. Senior officials found guilty of graft should face swift, public disciplinary action, not quiet reassignments.

Transparent systems for postings, promotions, and project approvals are critical. Every major transaction in the Secretariat should leave a digital footprint accessible to auditors. Publishing public expenditure data and project progress reports would allow citizens and the media to hold officials accountable.

Strengthening independent institutions is equally vital. The ACC and the Comptroller and Auditor General must operate free from political influence. Investigative journalism should be protected, not threatened. Without independent oversight, even the best reforms will collapse under political pressure.

Ultimately, no system can succeed without ethical leadership. Public service must again become a duty, not an opportunity for enrichment. Training programs for civil servants should include not only technical skills but also ethics and accountability.

Citizens, too, must play their part by refusing to normalize bribery, by reporting irregularities, and by supporting transparency initiatives. A culture of integrity cannot be legislated; it must be built collectively, through example and courage.

The Secretariat is the command center of Bangladesh’s government. But when that command center becomes a sanctuary for corruption, it endangers the entire state machinery. Reforming it is not just an administrative necessity; it is a test of national leadership.

Bangladesh’s vision to become a developed nation by 2041 depends on clean, competent governance. That vision will remain a dream if corruption continues to flow unchecked from the top. The country needs bold, honest leadership willing to challenge entrenched interests within its own walls.

Cleaning the Secretariat will not be an easy task. However, unless the government acts decisively and transparently, corruption will continue to infect every part of the system, from ministry boardrooms to rural offices.

It is time to prove that power can serve the people again. The heart of the nation’s administration must be healed, or it will keep spreading disease to every limb of governance.