TIB Executive Director receives GPSA Award (English)
Dhaka, 13 May 2015: Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Dr. Iftekharuzzaman has been awarded the first Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA) Award of the World Bank for his outstanding contributions, influence and impact in galvanizing demand for transparency and good governance in Bangladesh.
Five more individuals representing government and civil society organizations from Africa, East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa regions were also awarded for their leadership roles in promoting social accountability tools as a means to eradicate poverty and foster shared prosperity. There was also one special Lifetime Achievement award winner.
The award citation mentions that Dr. Iftekhar Zaman has been instrumental in advocating for transparency and good governance, despite shrinking social space for dissent in Bangladesh. Under his leadership, TIB has catalyzed several institutional, legal and policy and established a country wide network of over 6,500 anti-corruption platforms of volunteers as Committees of Concerned Citizens (CCC) and Youth Engagement & Support (YES).
In accepting the award, Dr. Zaman dedicated it to Committees of Concerned Citizens (CCCs), YES (Youth Engagement and Support (YES) groups, Shawjon (Citizens for Transparency), YES-Friends, YPAC (Young Professionals against Corruption) and TIB members for their unqualified commitment and untiring efforts to promote better governance in the country. Dr. Zaman said: “work against corruption and governance deficit is not easy anywhere. We have learned, however, that given the passion for the cause, and determination to practice what we preach, all challenges can be converted into opportunities.” He also thanked TIB’s Board of Trustees, colleagues, well-wishers and development partners for their sustained support to TIB’s social movement against corruption in Bangladesh.
