Investigating the Dominant Approaches to Study Causes of Corruption in Bangladesh

Abstract

The debate over the causes of corruption is not a new phenomenon. Notably, various approaches to the study of corruption identified different causes of corruption in different ways. This paper attempt to analyse the dominant causes of corruption, choosing Bangladesh as a case Based on both elite interview and citizens survey, this paper found that institutional, economic and ethical causes of corruption along with several sub-causes have a significant impact in Bangladesh. The paper also found that these causes inter-related with each other and shape other causes of corruption in Bangladesh. For example, institutional causes like 'money in politics' has a strong influence on the economic and ethical causes of corruption. Therefore, the paper also argued that the institutional causes of corruption are more significant, considering the other two causes of corruption in the context of Bangladesh.