Questioning the integrity of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Bishwa Sahitya Kendra chairman Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed on Monday said the anti-graft national body must make itself clean first.
“The ACC talks against corruption. Is the ACC free from corruption? The ACC should make itself clean first,” he told a function at Shilpakala Academy in the capital.The national anti-graft body organised the function to accord a reception to its best corruption prevention committee members on the occasion of the ACC’s Corruption Prevention Week.
Speaking as the chief guest, Prof Abu Sayeed said it is claimed that the ACC, the Election Commission, the Public Service Commission and others are independent institutions, but all those have a link to politics.
“Uncontrolled independence has been given to corruption and injustice to perpetuate the power of rulers. Now the nation is passing through a critical time due to widespread corruption. Being able to survive during a worse time, I think, is equal to the win during a good time. Now worse time continues, but we’ll have to survive at this critical time,” he added.
Prof Sayeed said the ACC has the independent power to take stern actions against corruption, but it does not enforce that power in true sense — all efforts will fall flat if it does not act.
“The ACC must prove through its works that it has been working sincerely to fight graft. We hope, the ACC will bring at lest 10 top corrupt people to justice by the next one year …we do believe the ACC can do that.”
The Bishwa Sahitya Kendra chairman said the ACC should come forward with its more power to check the country’s widespread corruption.
ACC chairman M Badiuzzaman said the ACC is working sincerely to check graft in the country and he hoped that it will be able to strengthen its activities in the future.
The Commission is trying to set up its offices in all the districts to gear up its activities, he said adding that there are presently 22 ACC offices across the country now.
ACC commissioners M Shahabuddin and Dr M Nasir Uddin Ahmed, among others, spoke at the function. – UNB
