Noakhali tops bribery list, Chapainawabganj lowest: BBS survey

In 2024, Noakhali recorded the highest rate of bribery in accessing government services, while Chapainawabganj recorded the lowest, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

The findings were revealed in the final report of the Citizen Perception Survey 2025, published on Wednesday at the BBS auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka.

The survey showed that 57.17 percent of service seekers in Noakhali faced bribery, followed by Cumilla at 53.47 percent, Faridpur 51.70 percent, Bhola 49.01 percent and Sirajganj 48.37 percent. In these districts, nearly half or more of citizens seeking services encountered bribery, particularly in land, police and local administration-related services.

By contrast, bribery rates were lowest in Chapainawabganj at 10.49 percent, followed by Magura 13.98 percent, Lalmonirhat 14.50 percent, Gazipur 15.24 percent and Sylhet 15.61 percent.

The gap between the highest and lowest districts stands at nearly 47 percentage points, highlighting significant regional disparity in corruption and the need for targeted reforms and monitoring.

Experts said district-specific action plans focusing on transparency and administrative accountability could significantly reduce bribery.

The survey was conducted from February 6 to 23, 2025, covering 64 districts. Interviews were taken from 84,807 respondents aged 18 and above from 45,888 households.

BBS director general Mohammad Mizanur Rahman presided over the publication event. Statistics and information management secretary Aleya Akter attended as chief guest, while planning division secretary SM Shakil Akhtar and additional secretary Mohammad Masud Rana Chowdhury were present as special guests.