ACC in disarray sans chair, commissioner

 
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the state's specialized watchdog for investigating and prosecuting corruption, is in disarray without a chairman and commissioner for more than a month.

The organization's activities have been virtually at a standstill since the interim government-appointed commission resigned on March 3, with no new commission being formed.
ACC sources said that due to the absence of the commission, the agency is now unable to take important decisions like investigating new complaints, filing cases, approving charge sheets, attaching properties or banning accused from traveling abroad. As a result, there is practically no significant progress except for sifting through old documents. During this period, not a single new case has been filed with the ACC.

ACC officials say that almost all important decisions of the agency depend on the approval of the commission. As a result, in the absence of a chairman and commissioner, issues such as serious allegations of corruption, money laundering, seizure of assets or taking urgent legal action against the accused are pending.

In this regard, ACC spokesperson and Director General Akhter Hossain said, The overall activities of the ACC depend on the decisions of the commission. In the absence of the commission, no new complaints can be investigated, cases can be filed, or charge sheets can be submitted. This has created a kind of deadlock.

To make the ACC a more independent and effective institution, the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus amended the Anti-Corruption Commission Act and issued a new ordinance. The amendment provided for the formation of a five-member commission instead of three.