Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Sunday urged all stakeholders to advance the anti-corruption social movement by engaging the youth.

The call was made during a human chain marking International Anti-Corruption Day 2024 at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital.

“The young generation is the driving force behind the goal of a ‘New Bangladesh’. As part of the state reform and new political agreement, born from unprecedented sacrifice, the social movement to prevent corruption must be strengthened,” said TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman.

He said the key expectation of students and people from the government, political parties and other stakeholders is the creation of a state structure and environment conducive to a transparent, accountable, corruption-free, and discrimination-free ‘New Bangladesh.’ To achieve this, eradicating corruption is essential, he added.

“We hope that, alongside the ACC, reforms in other key institutions will establish an infrastructure that prevents future elected governments from creating an environment conducive to corruption through political or bureaucratic influence. The responsibility of advancing the movement against corruption depends primarily on political leadership and the bureaucracy,” said Dr Iftekharuzzaman.

Stating that the fallen authoritarian government had created a culture of impunity by institutionalising corruption, the TIB Executive Director said over the last 15 years, the power of the ACC has been severely curtailed and taken over by the ruling party through political and bureaucratic influence.

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“It is important to remember that even if the ACC is fully reformed, the anti-corruption initiative will remain ineffective unless the prevailing culture of political and bureaucratic corruption is changed,” he said.

The human chain highlighted that the youth will lead the way in building the ‘New Bangladesh’ — a country achieved through unprecedented sacrifice — towards a corruption-free, well-governed, and accountable future.

This year, TIB marked International Anti-Corruption Day under the theme ‘New Bangladesh – The Invincible Youth will Stop Corruption’.

TIB members, staff, YES Group members and students from various Dhaka educational institutions, participated in the human chain.