Dhaka: Inadequate transparency and accountability have put the defence and security expenditures of Bangladesh at high risk of corruption, reveals a report prepared by Transparency International, a Berlin-based non-governmental organisation monitors and publicises corporate and political corruption in international development.

Bangladesh lacks strong anti-corruption systems in the defence and security sector, according to the Government Defence Anti‑Corruption Index report, generally termed as GI report.

Countries are scored in bands from very low risk (A) to critical risk (F) according to detailed assessment across 77 indicators that cover five prominent risk areas in the sector: politics, finance, personnel, operations, and procurement, said a TI report received here on Wednesday. 

TI claims that its study measures how governments prevent and counter corruption in defence and security sectors.

The country’s highest scores, and lowest risk area, is Personnel. Its highest corruption risk areas are finance, procurement, and political.

The government completed a review of the GI 2015 research, which shows a willingness to open dialogue with an international NGO on defence corruption issues, the report published on Wednesday in London claimed.

TI prepared the report after analysing defence and security sectors of 17 Asia-Pacific countries.

The report said military expenditure increased in Bangladesh by 202% in past one decade. To reduce corruption risk, TI made a set of suggestions for reforms of the security sector to minimise corruption risk.

The suggestions include strengthening defence ministry’s internal audit system; enhancing independent oversight through parliament, audit, and risk assessments, making procurement procedures more efficient and effective, and training troops for peacekeeping deployments.

The report said the countries spent a total of $433 billion in 2014, which is one fourth of the global expenditures in these sectors.

The TI report, however, branded six countries — China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, ‘very high risk.’ These have become a threat for regional stability, IT apprehends.

New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and Singapore are the best countries that have developed a sustainable system to oversight defence sector.