Around 43.5 percent female Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNO) are obstructed by influential people, local politicians, law enforcing agencies, upazilla chairmen and district administrations while taking action against corruption, according to a study of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). The study further revealed that 45.5 percent of them were also pressurized through false allegations while performing duties.
The findings were disclosed in a report titled 'Role of Women Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) in Establishing Good Governance at the Local Level: Challenges and Way Forward' at a virtual press conference of TIB on Thursday.
The report was prepared based on an online survey conducted from June, 2020 to March, 2021.
According to TIB, female Upazila Nirbahi Officers are facing obstacles such as political pressure and influence, security risks, negative perceptions of officials and people's representatives, non-cooperation of law enforcement agencies including physical abuse.
“Despite the fact that one-third of the working Upazila Nirbahi officers are women, their adversity and challenges in the workplace due to their identity as women have tarnished this positive achievement,” said TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman.
He said that the country’s administrative, social and political environment is not gender sensitive rather in some cases discriminatory against women.
“The tendency to see female UNO as a woman instead of a human being or an Upazila Nirbahi officer is a manifestation of patriarchal mentality in the administrative and political arena,” he said.
The research shows that around 34.30 percent female UNOs faced pressure to conduct irregularities while distributing the relief goods, 31.4 percent to justify the rationality of various expenditures and 28.6 percent to approve fake bills.
However, the study also found that 89.1 percent female UNOs took measures to prevent corruption.
TIB adviser (executive management) Prof Dr Sumaiya Khair and director (research and policy) Md Rafiqul Hasan were also present at the press conference.
The report was presented by Nahid Sharmin, former Deputy Program Manager of TIB’s Research and Policy Department.
The press conference was moderated by Sheikh Manjur-e-Alam, Director, Outreach and Communication Department of TIB.
