Nazmus Sakib Bin Mustafa, who runs his local group YES, was 11 years old when he first realized he wanted to make a difference. “I saw a leaflet at school from Transparency International Bangladesh, explaining how much money was being wasted by corruption in Bangladesh. It was enough to run more than 10,000 schools and help thousands of vulnerable people. I was shocked and knew I wanted to do something to stop corruption.”
He joined his local YES group as soon as he turned 15 – the minimum age to join. Now 21, Nazmus is leading anti-corruption efforts in his community.
In addition to investigating public programs, Nazmus and his fellow YES members also organize information fairs for government services and offer pop-up help desks to guide people in completing information requests. They check official government web portals and request correction of outdated information.
YES groups across the country have used a variety of creative approaches to get their message across – from cartoon exhibitions to bike rallies. COVID-19 prompted them to move online, but since then they have continued to work on the ground.
When YES members reach the age limit of 27, they can join the Young Professionals Against Corruption network. When they turn 30, they can also join Concerned Citizens Committees or Active Citizens Group, which are also supported by Transparency International Bangladesh. That way they can continue to push for integrity in their workplaces and communities.
“In my experience,” says Nazmus, “young people everywhere think the same way. They dream of making a corruption-free society, a corruption-free country, a corruption-free world.”
