Dhaka Tribune’s scrutiny of Election Commission filings highlights how 19 full ministers and 16 deputies marked ‘business’ as their trade. Lawyers trail as the second prominent profession, with a few boasting dual careers. Politics stands as the primary calling for just Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haq Milan—veterans of the political arena nonetheless.

February 17 marked a milestone with 25 ministers oath-taking at Dhaka’s National Parliament, incorporating technocrat slots. Yet, this corporate tilt has alarm bells ringing.

TIB’s Iftekharuzzaman didn’t mince words: Ministers must steer clear of decisions favoring their businesses, or risk turning public office into private profit machines. ‘Such lapses erode fair markets, hitting citizens hardest,’ he emphasized in quotes carried by Dhaka Tribune.

The business surge permeates parliament too. Of 300 MPs, 174 (59%) are business affiliates, 15 tied to garments. BNP’s 209-seat haul includes 145 business MPs; Jamaat-e-Islami’s 68 seats feature 20 such profiles.

TIB’s fresh study, unveiled by researcher Mohammad Touhidul Islam, paints a vivid picture: 236 MPs (79.46%) are millionaires, 13 billionaires among them. BNP leads with 189 rich lawmakers (90.87%), Jamaat trailing at 38 (55.07%). As Bonik Barta reports, this affluent, business-centric assembly could redefine policy-making, blending boardroom savvy with legislative power—or invite ethical pitfalls.

Compared to the 2012-2025 average, the score is two points lower, positioning Bangladesh as South Asia’s second-most corrupt country after Afghanistan. It joins a troubling cohort of 96 nations under the worldwide average of 42, amid 122 scoring below 50.

The Daily Star in Dhaka reports that while a one-point uptick nods to the power of last July’s student-led revolution against kleptocratic rule, real change remains elusive. The interim regime promised sweeping reforms but delivered little: no clear plans, no risk assessments, and weak enforcement against entrenched interests.

Corruption festers in political and bureaucratic spheres, with accusations of opaque governance flying thick. The ACC, meant to be a bulwark, languishes without meaningful upgrades to its autonomy or efficacy.

Meanwhile, peer nations have surged ahead by digitizing services, reforming institutions, and jailing top corrupt officials. The global CPI warns of deteriorating integrity worldwide, yet proves progress possible through leadership committed to accountability.

Bangladesh’s path forward demands a bold anti-corruption agenda: prosecute the powerful, safeguard watchdogs, and institutionalize transparency. Without it, the cycle of plunder – now fueled by vengeful opportunism – will only deepen public disillusionment.

Published on a prominent Bangla news portal, the piece cites TIB research attributing this surge to prolonged democratic deficits, homegrown extremism, and external radical influences. Election rallies have become spectacles of piety: politicians in traditional garb preaching divine favor for their ballots.

Jamaat-e-Islami faces particular scrutiny for peddling ‘paradise passes’ via party symbols, a tactic decried by BNP leaders as regressive medievalism. Yet, no party escapes blame. BNP’s 1991 fearmongering about mosques becoming Hindu sites set a precedent, mirrored by Awami League’s shrine-centric launches under Sheikh Hasina, who strategically adopted religious aesthetics in multiple campaigns.

Even alliances fracture over ideology—the Islamic Movement Bangladesh split from Jamaat and others over Sharia disagreements. Now, with 36% of candidates from Islamist outfits in the February polls—up dramatically from recent years—the trend is accelerating.

Out of 1,981 hopefuls from 51 parties, 13% run independent, but the Islamist share dominates, infiltrating administration and policy. This isn’t mere rhetoric; it’s a systemic shift eroding Bangladesh’s secular foundations laid post-independence.

As the nation eyes its future, stakeholders urge a return to issue-based politics. Without checks on religious politicking, Bangladesh risks sliding into theocracy, jeopardizing its hard-won pluralism and development gains.