"Though we are not the topper in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) anymore, the real situation has not changed a bit. The business sector,especially the SME sector, is one of the biggest sufferers from corruption. SME owners were devastated due to the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic in the last two years, yet they could not catch a break from corruption." These concerns were raised by SME owners in a regional consultation organized by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) in Rajshahi. The event was organized in collaboration with the Centre for International Private Enterprises (CIPE), a Washington-based organization, in the Royal Raj Hotel and Condominium of the Silk City on Sunday, 31stJuly, 2022 to analyze the perception of corruption among the local entrepreneurs and the possibility of initiating a non-political anti-corruption platform.
The SME owners shared their experience of facing corruption while running their business in the regional consultation. They expressed their frustration at corruption being normalized in everyday life. According to the entrepreneurs, while starting a business, anyone has to go to 13-14 departments to obtain several permissions and licenses. One has to deal with the income tax office, Fire Service and Civil Defense (FSCD), Department of Environment, Ministry of Labor and Employment, BRTA, Banks and Financial Institutions, Power Division, etc., which are harassing and tiresome in most cases.
News Courtesy:
