Dhaka, Nov. 24 -- Speakers at a discussion on Monday highlighted the deep-rooted opacity within Bangladesh's political financing structure, the weaknesses of existing regulatory mechanisms, and the negative implications of pervasive informal transactions.

They discussed how the lack of transparency in party financing affects democratic competition, policy decision-making, and a fair market environment.

The conversation also focused on the inequities created through political-business linkages, weakened accountability, and the emergence of an uncertain and anti-competitive business climate under the guise of "business protection."

Dacca Institute of Research and Analytics (DAIRA) hosted the discussion titled "Political financing culture...