Bangladesh is often described as a “paradox”; it  excels in crucial social indicators while scoring poorly on the quality of governance. This paradox was evident when two contrasting news stories emerged from the same session of the Jatiya Sangsad on June 29: one about the Prime Minister's vow to crack down on graft, and the other about the retention of amnesty for black money holders. How does one reconcile such contradictions? Has the government redefined corruption by excluding proceeds from illegal transactions, graft, and tax evasion, commonly known as black money? Critics argue that the definition of black money varies depending on who holds it. Black money seems less problematic if the holder is connected to the ruling party. Despite loud proclamations of “zero tolerance,” government efforts rarely make a lasting impact on curbing corruption. Currently, the country is abuzz with complaints about bureaucratic corruption. Previously, there was noise about traders' exces...