Bangladesh has improved, UK has worsened and Somalia is still amogst the most corrupt in the world!

The Transparency International (TI) have released the 2008 Global Corruption Report for those interested to download it:
http://www.transparency.org/publication ... wnload_gcr

Just as a comparison here's a map on the Corruption Index in 2004 with Bangladesh in 2nd place: http://www.commondreams.org/archive/wp- ... 927_03.jpg

The Global Peace Index 2008 - http://www.visionofhumanity.org/gpi/res ... ld-map.php

i met with the son of the CEO of the Prime Bank (bangladesh) on Wednesday and was just having a long friendly chat. One of the things that he said was since the caretaker government in bangladesh has had to relinquish its anti graft stance in order to get the elections going in time for december, the change of culture, attitude and environment in the country has vastly differed. When i visited the last couple of times, there has been a distinct air of calm about. what with the hostilities and the 'free' media which incites tension between two groups of people whose policies actually differ by about 5%, carnage is surely due again for the country. what comes of the destitutes in these uncertain times ahead?

in a country where the two leading parties, or for that matter the four leading parties actually dont have clarity on political standpoints i find it unbeleivable that there can be so much difference. The BNP, AL, Jatiya and Jamaati do not have a clear left -right split, a democrat - republican, a socialist-conservative split. so why the differences? a country obsessed with a by gone era of 1970's dynasties that affect the people of the country at all!


sorry not much reference to the fact that bd has improved its position in the TI lol, just my issues thats all

Oh we do know people in high places don't we

But yes you are absolutely right - there is no obvious difference in the parties....but I don't think much has changed with the people of the country. For one, if these parties are given the go ahead to run for parlimentary election and they start rounding up their supporters, you will see they will come in flocks; for some obscure and moronic reason the masses will react to what these power-hungry people say. That cannot be changed.
And for two, as I read in another report, the fact that Bangladesh has improved in its Corruption Index can mean that other countries have gotten worse or that this "improvement" is but merely an artifact.

The only reason why you saw in your visits (and as did I, in mine) a calmness in the air is because the media and the government are not creating undue hostility and aggrevation at this current point in time. It is almost like the calm before the coming storm. The change is only in the current circumstances - not in the people.
And realistically speaking I don't think that will ever change unless you have a good, strong head of the country. No offence (and perhaps for so many reasons I can't blame them) the people of Bangladesh are like puppets - we've seen how when a corrupt government says 'jump!' and they say 'how high??' yet I'm also positive if the good are in position then they would obey equally.

So lets be positive ai.