Once again, Bangladesh has been ranked the most corrupt country in the world in the Transparency International list("Bangladesh hits the bottom for third time", The Daily Star, October 8, 2004). This is very distressing. Do you think that we, as a nation, could try and bribe the TI and get them to move us from the top spot?

Z Ahmed, Virginia, USA ***

I am writing about the latest Transparency International (TI) report released on 08/10/03, which ranked Bangladesh as the most corrupt nation for the third straight year. This is definitely not the biggest achievement that we should be proud of, and instead of playing the "blame game", I feel the government should work to wipe out the corruption, and in doing so, change the perspective through which other nations look at us, for a change. The reasons behind

this debacle should be unearthed (it is quite obvious though!) and more strict actions should be taken to fight corruption.

Corruption not only "pollutes" the environment of our country but it also does not do any good to enhance our reputation as a progressive developing country. Foreigners are discouraged to invest in this corrupt environment, and to top that business personalities in our own country are also discouraged to contribute to the economy. I feel, to be worse than Nigeria, Pakistan, Myanmar and Kenya is really adding salt to the wounds. I hope we are aware of this fact and will be able to heal the wounds before its too late.

Aranya Syed, Dhaka

***

The Transparency International has brought out their annual list of the most corrupt nations in the world and there

you go, Bangladesh came in the first place for the third year in a row. Congratulations! Who said that we, Bangladeshis are good at nothing? Three times in a row should earn us some kind of a prize. I was so humiliated to see the report on CNN few minutes ago (Oct 8). Is this how the world going to know Bangladeshis: the most corrupt people on earth. What a shame!

Let me guess what the government reaction is going to be tomorrow: 'the report is false, baseless, exaggerated .„' and I also would guess that the BNP government somehow is going to blame the AL for it even though they left power two years ago. Deja vu.

Amar shonar Bangla -- a hopeless place. Somebody give me a visa so I can run away and live somewhere else. Monir, Uttara, Model Town, Dhaka