Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010; 1(1):6

Ethical Aspects of Sharing International River Water:  The Case of Teesta River 
Md. Fakrul Islam, Ph.D., Professor and Chairman,  Department of Social Work, University of Rajshahi Rajshahi, 
Bangladesh
Wardatul Akmam, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Email: hiraharati@yahoo.com

All riparian states have the right to use international river water. This right is equally recognized for all riparian 
states on the basis of ethical principles and laws on international water sharing. However, sharing of river water has 
become one of the issues of conflict between neighboring states. Various claims and counter claims are heard of and 
in order to resolve these issues many cooperative bilateral treaties have also been signed. But politically induced 
treaties that neither include provisions for economic benefits nor follow ethical principles on humanitarian grounds 
of the riparian states are not likely sustain for long. Continuity of such treaties is indispensable for the sustenance 
and development of the riparian states and ethical principles and humanitarian grounds should be the basis for these 
treaties. Nowadays, it is observed that states situated at the upstream control the water flow of rivers for their own 
benefits without considering its consequences on the downstream state. As a result inhabitants of the downstream 
countries suffer untold miseries. Nevertheless, there are some good examples of international water sharing. In this 
paper,  I  discuss  these  examples  along  with  the  case  of  sharing  of  the  Teesta  River  water  between  India  and 
Bangladesh. Some policy proposals are also made in this regard. The paper emphasizes the necessity of upholding 
morality and ethical principles in formulating and implementing policies regarding sharing of international river 
water. Riparian states must cooperate and be sympathetic for the cause of one another.  

Ethics and Integrity in Public Service in Bangladesh: Institutional and Comprehensive Approach

Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director, Transparency International Bangladesh

Email: Email: edtib@ti-bangladesh.org

This paper is an attempt to examine the challenges to prevent erosion of ethics and integrity in public service in 
Bangladesh.  It  first  presents  an  overview of  corruption  as  a  development  and  governance  challenge.  We then 
identify the entry points of erosion of integrity which account for the depth and breadth of corruption in public 
service. In the next section the paper goes on to examine the prospect of preventing erosion of integrity and ethics, 
and propose a few tools and processes. Finally the paper proposes an institutional and comprehensive approach 
without which ethics and integrity in public service will be hard to promote and institutionalize.

The main theme of the paper is that corruption exists everywhere in the world; it also involves every sector and level  
where there is scope of abuse of power.  The public sector tends to be exposed to erosion of ethics because of 
institutional and individual factors. When depth and breadth of corruption are associated by a growing culture of 
impunity and erosion of values and ethics, corruption threatens to become a way of life. Policies, decisions and 
actions of public interest at national level are taken in private interest, while at the local level citizens' access to 
basic rights and entitlement become contingent upon the capacity to make unauthorized payments. 

The issue of ethics and integrity in public service is crucial to addressing corruption. Whatever well-meaning may 
be reforms in other sectors, these cannot bear fruits nor can any of those be sustained without establishing that 
appointments, promotions, postings and transfers in public service are based on performance and merit and not on 

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mailto:edtib@ti-bangladesh.org
mailto:hiraharati@yahoo.com