Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) in a statement on Sunday refuted observations of a senior government official about a TIB report on corruption in vaccine procurement and the graft watchdog's source of funding.
It said: "The remark of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Ahmad Kaikaus, published in different media, about graft in vaccine purchase and funding to TIB by BHP (an Australian mining company) is not correct but misleading, based on misinformation and conceptual."
Mr Kaikaus, speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on Saturday said, "They (TIB) are saying that the government bribed Tk69 to purchase each vaccine. They haven't shown any evidence. Asian Development Bank and World Bank were involved in the process."
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) organised the seminar titled "Export Challenges of Bangladesh after Graduation from LDC: Options for the Private Sector" at its Motijheel office in the capital.
Regarding this, TIB said: "The statement is fully misleading because TIB in its report noted that people had to bribe Tk 69 on average to get vaccine at vaccination centres while the government official said that the bribe was given to purchase vaccine."
The international graft watchdog unveiled the report titled "Governance Challenges in Tackling Covid-19 Crisis: Inclusion and Transparency" that surveyed 3,393 inoculated individuals who alleged of bribing to get the vaccine.
It wasn't remotely related to vaccine procurement, it said adding: the exit-poll result showed that at least 10.1 per cent of the vaccinated people had to bribe Tk 69 on average to get the antidote.
At the FBCCI programme, Mr Kaikaus also said, "TIB is funded by Australian firm BHP that has faced fines repeatedly for damaging the environment. Why are you taking money from them while calling us thieves? Is it a joke?"
He also said, "It hurts a lot when an allegation of corruption is made after working honestly."
Referring to that remark, TIB said the principal secretary claimed that TIB received funds from Australian mining company BHP but in reality TIB has never received any funds from that company.
TIB is funded by British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), which is a published data available at TIB website.
