Combating Corruption in Public Service Delivery

1. Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
Combating Corruption in Public Service Delivery:
Role of Civil Servants
The lecture note is prepared for the
P65 th Special Foundation Course
Public Administration Training Center, Dhaka
By
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
Secretary
Anti Corruption Commission, Bangladesh.

2. Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
Definition of Corruption
C =M+D-A-S
Where, C=Corruption
M= Monopoly
D= Discretion
A= Accountability
S= Public sector salaries

3. Some Sources of Corruption
1. Over and under-invoicing in Imports & Exports
2. Tendering
3. Procurement
4. Audit
5. Land management
6. Law enforcement
7. Customs
8. Loan from Banks
9. Judiciary
10. Others
3

4. Compulsion of UNCAC
 Bangladesh ratified UNCAC in 27 Feb, 2007
 The Convention visualizes both taking preventive measures
against corruption and creating an enabling environment for
ensuring integrity in conducting public affairs.
 Promote and strengthen measures to prevent and combat
corruption more efficiently and effectively and to
promote integrity, accountability in society
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

5. Deficiencies
lack of
transparency
lack of
competition
Monopoly
weak
accountability
weak capacity
Discretion
I MPLI CATI ONS OF
CORRUPTI ON
• Graft & CorruptionGraft & Corruption
• InefficiencyInefficiency
• Graft & CorruptionGraft & Corruption
• InefficiencyInefficiency
• Poor QualityPoor Quality
• High CostHigh Cost
• Poor QualityPoor Quality
• High CostHigh Cost
POOR SERVICEPOOR SERVICE
DELIVERYDELIVERY
POOR SERVICEPOOR SERVICE
DELIVERYDELIVERY
5

6. Corruption: Preventing access to education
Corruption in Education: Ratio of Service Receipients Forced to Pay Bribe
54.1
21.8
35.5 32.5
for admission in school to be enlisted for
stipend in primary level
to be enlisted for
stipend in secondary
level
for actual disbursement
of the stipend
Percentage
Source TI -2014
6

7. Household Income lost to bribery
9.529
7.94
2.384
4.569
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Low Income (< Tk.
72,000 per year)
Middle Income
(72000-140,000)
High Income
(140,000+)
Total
Percentage
Source TI -2014
January 4, 2018
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
7

8. Transparency
Integrity
Accountability
Whistleblower protection
Aware Citizen
Preventive MeasuresEnhanced Accounting and
Auditing Standards
Reducing Discretionary
Authorities
Create Competition
Effective Civil, Administrative or
Criminal Penalties
8

9. 9
Whistleblower means-
An employee who refuses to
engage in and or reports illegal
or wrongful activities of his
employer or fellow employees.

10. January 4, 2018Dr. Md.
Shamsul Arefin
10

11. January 4, 2018Dr. Md.
Shamsul Arefin
11

12. How to tackle corruption in Bangladesh
1. Developing long-term anti-corruption strategy
2. Creating citizen’s will
3. Effective decentralisation of government agency
4. Create a sense of hate about corruption
5. More transparency and more simplification of
procedures
6. Incentives for good performance
7. Awareness and Motivational programme
12

13. Existing Administrative Culture and Aims of NIS
 We have created a culture of shifting responsibility in some cases
But NIS teaches us to shouldering responsibility
 We have created an administrative centric culture
But NIS teaches us to start service in citizen’s centric culture
 We have created a culture of using discretion in most cases.
NIS teaches us to minimize of using discretion
 We have created a culture of Financial Management that does not
follow time limit in most cases.
NIS teaches us to follow strict time limit for releasing of fund.
Our gray areas are employment, procurement, construction etc
NIS teaches us how to erase gray areas

14. The stakes of Corruption Prevention
Integrity
Promote a culture of collaboration
 Foster and protect whistleblowers
Transparency
 Publicise information
 Is the information accessible?
Accountability
 More effective and efficient controls
 Social Accountability tools
Participation
 Involve Civil Society and others (e.g.
Report Cards, Integrity Pacts) CP
Risk
Assessme
nt
Effective
Ethics
Committee
Implement
code of
conduct
Minimise
conflict of
Interest
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

15. Priority Areas for Improving Collaboration between ACC
and State Organizations
 Strengthening Reporting systems
 strengthening Reporting of fraud detection and corrupt practice
under NIS action plan.
Improving front-Line Service Provision
Instituting citizen report cards and monitoring
 Regular Public hearing and strengthening oversight
Strengthening Leadership & Ethics
 Continuously arranging Workshop, Seminars and Trainings
with NIS Focal Points.
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

16. Best Practices of International aspects
Botswana Case Study
NIS Focal Points have been working as Role Models to influence others
in their organizations to maintain ethical standards. They are
influencing people everyday by their ethics.
 Ministries/ Divisions are limited only to formulate policy and plan
and instruct Directorates to implement plan and monitor those plan,
projects.
Ministries/Divisions do not manage events like different day
observances. They outsource it to Event Management Company so that
their regular functions can not be hampered.
 Ministries/Divisions do not engage with posting and transfer except a
very few cases.
 They release Revenue and Development fund first day of the relevant
Quarters without delay of a single day.
Ministry officials exercise delegated authority
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

17. Civil Society Monitoring for Improved Service Provision:
Bangalore, India. ( By arranging public hearings in 2011)
Source : Public Affairs Center, India , 2013
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

18. Strengthening Public Service Ethics in Singapore
5 Cs to Prevent Corruption
Strengthen
Values & Ethics:
To prevent
Corruption
Strengthen
Values & Ethics:
To prevent
Corruption
Commitment to
Contribute
Commitment to
Contribute
ConnectednessConnectedness
Courage Building
mechanism
Courage Building
mechanism
CosmologyCosmology
Care & CompassionCare & Compassion
Overcoming insecurity
Creating a sense of
belonging to society Creating a sense of
Compassion and caring for the
more needy in society
Creating a commitment to public
service
Broaden vision by seeing
life in the context of
the huge universe
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

19. Anticipated Role of Civil Servants
 Reduction of discretionary Authority of Public Officers.
 Redesigning the Financial management (delegated administrative and
financial authority must be followed strictly).
 Fund release in due time in development and revenue budget.
 Fixing responsibility as per law in all levels including the Accounts
Department, Registration and Land Administration Department.
 Regular RTI Fair by each public office.
 Regular arrangement of public hearing at the public office.
 Using CRC
 Using Feedback form
 Using Whistle Blower’s Protection act at the public office.
 A Booklet of Model case issued by each public office depending on their
nature of public service.
 Integrity pledge.
 Redesigning business flow chart ( one stop service)
 Code of conduct
Follow a person who is a Role Model to you
 Try to be a Role Model to others

20. Approaches you may put in your
Action Plan
a.Redesigning Business flow Chart
b.Shorten Business Process ( One stop Service)
c.Develop a Evaluation Form for your customer
(Are you satisfied , if not why please comment)
d. Code of conduct
e. Integrity pledge
f. Using social accountability tools and GRS

21. Approaches you may put in your Action Plan
 Redesigning in the Financial management (delegated administrative
and financial authority may be followed strictly).
 Releasing Fund on 1st
day of concerned quarters in development and
revenue budget.
 Regular RTI Fair by each public office.
 Regular arrangement of public hearing at the public office.
 Using CRC
 Using Feedback form
 Using Whistle Blower’s Protection Act at the public office.
 A Booklet of Model case issued by each public office depending on
their nature of public service.

22. Approaches you may start discussion for
Authorization
a.Remodeling Contract Rule/Procurement Act
b.Establishing more Independent Employment Commissions for all
kind of revenue posts
c.Redesigning Financial Regulation to control under and over
invoicing, regulate curb market and bank loan disbursement
d.Fixing and practicing reasonable time period in laws for dispensing
of justice and enquiry
e. Protection of budgetary allocation
f. Reduction of discretionary Authority of Public Officers.
g.Fixing responsibility as per law in all levels including the
Accounts department, Registration and Land Administration.

23. Start Dialogue under NIS Action plan
Denmark Case study
1.Separate Estimators from the Executors of construction project.
2.Give responsibility of repair and maintenance work (without any
extra claim) for next ten years to the contractors who completed the
initial construction. ( incorporate that provision in the contract
provision).
3.Make liable Accounts office 75% of financial irregularities and
rest 25% to the drawer of bills.
4.Start dialogue for changing the existing provisions for the issuance
of passport .
5.Start dialogue for the smart land administration under NIS

24. Looking Forward
The ACC intends to adopt the demand side approach to citizen’s centric
governance reform empowering citizens to monitor, audit and report on the
performance of public agencies.
Stimulate society to move from a culture of acceptance of corruption to
rejection of corruption.
Minimize Conflict of Interests.
The motivation to earn easy way income is still extremely strong. Thus a Role Model is
required in each office who will act as a living legend of Ethics.
Show zero tolerance to rent seeking behavior.
Comprehensive regulation is needed because the discretion of many public officials is
unrestricted and this systemic weakness is intensified by poorly defined, ever changing, and
poorly disseminated rules and regulations.
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

25. 25
Exercise on Combating Corruption
At least three Causes of corruption
Recommendation for /removal elimination of
Corruption

26. Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin