Dhaka: A massive political storm has erupted in Bangladesh following a shocking report by Transparency International Bangladesh. The report alleges that citizens were forced to pay an estimated 12,633 crore taka in bribes for basic government services during the one and a half year tenure of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
The explosive findings have triggered a fierce political debate across the country. Speaking in the national parliament, Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed demanded a comprehensive probe into the alleged irregularities during the interim administration. He insisted that the Anti Corruption Commission must investigate exactly where the corruption occurred, how it was executed, and identify the individuals involved. His strong remarks received loud desk thumping support from ruling party parliamentarians.
Despite the parliamentary uproar, government sources indicate that there is no immediate plan to launch a formal official investigation into the previous administration.
Responding to the allegations, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, who served as an advisor in the Yunus government, told BBC Bangla that any claims of corruption should face a fair and impartial probe. However, he accused the current administration of deliberately preventing the Anti Corruption Commission from working effectively over the past four months.
The Transparency International Bangladesh report is based on a nationwide survey of 15,715 households conducted between November 2024 and October 2025. The data paints a grim picture of public service delivery. The passport office, transport department, police, judiciary, and land records department emerged as the most corrupt sectors. Alarmingly, over 86 percent of the surveyed families reported that it was impossible to receive public services without paying a bribe.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, the Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh, stated that the interim government failed to implement strict measures to curb systemic graft. He pointed out that making public asset declarations mandatory for government officials could have significantly improved the situation. While he acknowledged that bribery is a long standing historical issue in Bangladesh rather than a recent development, he stressed that the interim administration cannot escape accountability for the period it was in power.
The controversy has now transformed into a major political showdown. While the Home Minister pushes for an aggressive investigation, opposition voices and former officials are demanding an independent inquiry, leaving citizens waiting to see if the anti graft body will actually take concrete action.