The country's youth generally have a highly moralistic concept of integrity. Yet in ethically challenging situations, some would adopt unfair means, a TIB study has found.

While 97 to 98 percent of the youth surveyed believe that a person of integrity never lies, cheats or breaks law, 30 percent said a person of integrity can make exceptions if it benefits his or her family, according to the National Youth Integrity Survey 2015, done by the Transparency International Bangladesh.

The findings of the survey, conducted between April 22 and May 7 in 461 mouzas of 31 districts in the country, were presented at a press conference at TIB's Dhanmondi office in the capital yesterday. 

A total of 2,419 youths aged between 15 and 30 took part in the study. Of them, 67 percent were male and 33 percent female.

Youths are forced to get involved in corruption or accept it, although they have a clear concept of integrity, said Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of TIB.   

"The fact that corruption is a crime, moral turpitude is crime has not been established. As a result, corruption is becoming an acceptable matter," he said, recommending an end to the culture of impunity to set examples for youths.

Almost half the youths surveyed said they would agree to pay a portion of their future salary to the employer in exchange for a job.

On average, around 21 percent of them experienced corruption in different services -- 29 percent (of the 21pc) in getting licence, permit or clearance, 29 percent to get rid of police harassment, 25 percent to get healthcare from government health facilities, 20 percent to get a job, 18 percent to get admitted to educational institutions and 17 percent to get more business for their organisations.

Though 71 percent of the youths said they would complain about corruption, 62 percent of those who would not complain explained their inaction by saying complaints would not bear any result.

Their trust in public services is low compared to that in private services. Eighty-six percent of them have negative impressions about the level of integrity in politics, 66 percent about law enforcement agencies, 65 percent about land administration and 57 percent about legal service.

Family, educational institutions, friends, TV, Radio and newspaper are among the top factors which help create the concept of integrity, the participants told the researchers.

Of the total respondents, 51 percent are students, 16 percent housewives and 12 percent businesspersons. Of them, 58 percent come from rural area and 42 percent from urban area.

Sultana Kamal, chair of TIB's Trustee Board, stressed the need to utilise the possibilities in youths in creating an honest and corruption-free society. 

She criticised the poor budgetary allocation for education, saying, "If we want to give the right education, we need to invest."

She noted the education system must be improved because the current system was not helping the youth to learn ways to lead an honest life.