BRTA ranks highest for corruption among public service offices: BBS survey

The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has been identified as the most corruption-prone public service office in the country, according to a nationwide survey released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

The Citizen Perception Survey (CPS) 2025 found that 63.29 per cent of citizens who sought services from the BRTA experienced corruption, placing it at the top of the list among public institutions. Law enforcement agencies ranked second at 57.96 per cent, followed by passport offices at 57.45 per cent.

The findings were unveiled on Wednesday at the BBS auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka.

According to the survey, 31.67 per cent of respondents said they had paid bribes directly while receiving government services over the past 12 months. Bribery was significantly more common among men (38.62 per cent) than women (22.71 per cent), with 98.48 per cent of bribes reportedly paid in cash.

The survey took place from February 6 to February 23, 2025, and it included all 64 districts. Data were collected from 84,807 respondents aged 18 and above across 45,888 households.

Among government offices, bribery was most prevalent in services involving frequent public interaction. After BRTA and law enforcement agencies, high levels of corruption were reported in land registry offices (54.92 per cent) and in interactions with judges, magistrates and prosecutors (53.77 per cent).

Mid-range bribery levels were reported in accounts offices (44.68 per cent), customs, excise and VAT offices (35.37 per cent), and local government offices at the union parishad, pourashava and upazila levels (32.91 per cent).

Lower levels of corruption were recorded in social welfare offices (19.20 per cent), public utilities such as electricity, water and gas (18.41 per cent), and income tax offices (14.08 per cent). The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) recorded one of the lowest rates, at 1.99 per cent.

The survey also assessed broader governance and security indicators under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.

On personal security, 84.81 per cent of respondents said they felt safe walking alone in their neighbourhoods after dark, though the figure was lower among women. A higher proportion (92.54 per cent) reported feeling safe inside their homes at night.

In terms of governance, only 27.24 per cent of citizens believed they could influence government decisions, while just 21.99 per cent felt they had influence over political decision-making. About 24.62 per cent described Bangladesh’s political system as inclusive and responsive.

Regarding public services, 47.12 per cent accessed government healthcare in the past year, while 40.93 per cent reported having children enrolled in public schools. Satisfaction levels were highest for primary education (81.56 per cent) and healthcare (72.69 per cent).

The survey also found that 16.16 per cent of respondents experienced disputes or conflicts in the past two years, with most relying on informal mechanisms for resolution. Meanwhile, 19.31 per cent reported facing discrimination, primarily based on socio-economic status and gender, though only a small proportion reported incidents to authorities.

The findings highlight persistent governance challenges, particularly in transport, law enforcement and land-related services, where citizens’ reliance on officials continues to fuel informal payments despite ongoing reform efforts.