Corruption and inefficiency cost Bangladesh $450 million per annum: World Bank

Corruption and government inefficiency cost impoverished Bangladesh up to $450 million a year, and slowed economic growth and the relief of poverty, the country's key donor, the World Bank, said in a report.
The World Bank is one of a number of agencies that contributes a combined $2 billion in aid to address poverty in Bangladesh, a densely populated country of 130 million people where the gross domestic product per person is under $400 a year.
Corruption and poverty are key political issues in Bangladesh, where an opposition-led general strike to protest against government policies brought transport to a halt and closed businesses in the capital, Dhaka, on Saturday.
But the State Minister for Finance and Planning, Anwarul Kabir Talukdar, told Reuters a long-promised anti-corruption commission was almost ready to start tackling the issue.
The World Bank said in the report, titled "Bangladesh achievements and Challenges", pervasive corruption and extortion, weak financial accountability and weak public administration held back efforts to fight poverty,
"The overall picture remains dominated by poor law and order, corrupt police, corrupt lower courts, and bribery and extortion across the board," it said.
Economic losses due to corruption and delays in procurement of goods and services cost Bangladesh between $300 million and $450 million annually, the multilateral development agency said.
Public sector procurement had systemic deficiencies, including a lack of systems to ensure transparency and accountability, it said, adding that Bangladesh had begun recruiting senior managers offshore to try to address the issue.
Corruption damaged healthcare and education systems while the justice system suffered massive delays due to antiquated systems and technology, with government officials serving as part-time magistrates, the World Bank said.
"Matters are made significantly worse by the malfunctioning and corruption in the police services," it said.
Saturday's strike, the fourth this month called by the main opposition party, the Awami League, was held despite complaints from business leaders that such campaigns cause serious economic disruption. As in the previous strikes, police drove away hundreds of strike supporters gathering on streets of the capital Dhaka. Witnesses reported police detained about 20 activists from outside the central office of the Awami League.
The League's campaign of strikes is a protest against what it says is sweeping corruption, political repression, deteriorating law and order and rising prices.