Bangladesh Ranks 13th Most Corrupt Country in the World

Presenting the report, TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman revealed that Bangladesh’s ranking dropped from 14th in 2024 to 13th in 2025. The index is based on data collected between November 2022 and September 2025.

In this year's index, Bangladesh scored 24 out of 100, marking a 1-point increase from the previous year. TIB noted that while the score saw a marginal improvement, the slower pace of progress compared to other nations and persistent institutional weaknesses led to the decline in global rankings. On the CPI scale, 0 represents the highest level of corruption, while 100 indicates the lowest. Bangladesh’s position remains alarming in the South Asian context, where it is the second-lowest performer, trailing only behind Afghanistan. Conversely, Bhutan maintains its status as the least corrupt country in South Asia with a score of 71.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman emphasized that these results reflect a sluggishness in structural reforms required to curb corruption. With the global average score sitting at 42, Bangladesh remains significantly below the benchmark. TIB asserted that political will alone is insufficient; rather, it is crucial to move away from the culture of impunity and ensure robust legal actions. Globally, Denmark remains the least corrupt country with a score of 89, while South Sudan and Somalia jointly sit at the bottom of the list with a score of only 9.