Japan and Germany have expressed their concerns over passage of the
Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Bill 2013 in Parliament. The bill includes a provision to take government approval before
submitting charge sheets against government officials.
Japanese Ambassador Shiro Sadoshima and German Ambassador in
Bangladesh Dr Albrecht Conze expressed the concerns when they met
chairman of Anti-Corruption Commission M Bodiuzzaman and two
commissioners—Md Shahabuddin Chuppu and Dr Nasir Uddin Ahmed at the
commission on Wednesday.
Emerging from the meeting, the German Ambassador told reporters that
they expressed were worried about the independence of the commission
following the passage of the bill.
“We came to know the decision of the commission about it…We will also
talk to the government in this regard,” he said.
The German Ambassador said it seems that the amended ACC bill is
contrary to the Article 27 of the Constitution of Bangladesh.
ACC commissioner Shahabuddin Chuppu said the two ambassadors met them
to know the amendment to the ACC law. “They were informed about the
amendment to the law,” he added.
The bill also included the section 197 of the CrPC that would prohibit
the commission to submit charge sheets against public servants before
taking the approval of the government
The ACC chairman and the executive director of the Transparency
International Bangladesh (TIB) have already expressed their concerns
over passing the bill including the section 197 of the CrPC. – Staff
Reporter
