Anti-corruption experts have termed the passing of Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Bill 2013 unnecessary, “since it sends a wrong signal and may bring embarrassment to the government”. Reacting sharply on the Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Bill 2013 which was passed by Parliament on voice vote on Sunday, they also described it contrary to the election pledge of the ruling Awami League and “suicidal for the government”.The experts also suggested the authorities concerned to reconsider the amendment to the ACC law that made it mandatory to seek government approval before submitting charge sheets against government officials. Talking to The Independent, former ACC chairman Ghulam Rahman said the
amendment would curtail the authority of the commission and contradicts the Article 27 of the Constitution and section 24 of the ACC law.
“It was not necessary to have the amendment to the ACC law. It sends a wrong signal. It may be embarrassing for the government,” he observed. The former ACC boss, however, said since the aim of the commission is to curb corruption and ensure punishment to the corrupt, there will be
no any problem if both the government and ACC work together equally and sincerely.
Otherwise, he cautioned that the elimination of corruption would be difficult. Executive director of Transparency International, Bangladesh Dr Iftekharuzzaman condemned the amendment to the ACC law saying that it was not only contradictory to the AL election pledge but also suicidal
for the government.
“The amendment will be treated as a deceptive step of the government
since it will curb further whatever power the ACC had,” he said.
The TIB executive called upon the authorities to reconsider the bill
immediately.
He apprehended that the amendment would intensify the corruption trend
through creating secret entate among a section of politicians and
government officials.
Iftekharuzzaman also termed the amendment the law by hanging it till
the last session of Parliament and keeping concerned people in the
dark
He, however, welcomed the inclusion of some positive provisions,
including getting official documents from different government bodies,
increasing the tenure of ACC chairman and commissioners from four
years to five years, making the commission a party in the higher court
and including some punishable sections to help curb corruption from
the country. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has expressed its
frustration over the inclusion in the new ACC law the provision of
taking government permission to submit charge sheets against
government officials.
“Taking government approval before submitting charge sheet against
government officials contradicts the Article 27 of the Constitution
and section 24 of the new ACC law,” said ACC chairman Md Bodiuzzaman
in his formal reaction.
Parliament on Sunday passed the Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment)
Bill 2013 in the absence of the opposition lawmakers making a
provision to take government permission to submit charge sheet against
government officials.
Talking to reporters at his office, he said some parts of the law are
good but some are not satisfactory.
He observed that the new law may increase the trend of corruption
among the government employees since the commission has to take
government approval to file charge sheet against them.
“There was a fear among the government officials that they could be
implicated in cases if they are found involve in corruption. Now they
will feel easy from such condition,” he added.
The ACC boss said the commission would take initiative to pursue the
government to repeal the provision.
He alleged that the law was not passed in accordance with the
recommendation of the parliamentary standing committee concerned.
“We were also not aware about the inclusion of the section 197 of the
CrPC in the law,” he said.
Bodiuzzaman said the new law empowered the commission in getting
official documents from different government bodies, increasing the
tenure of ACC chairman and commissioners from four years to five
years, making the commission a party in the higher court and including
some punishable sections including deception.
He said the inclusion of section 197 of the CrPC has curtailed the
independence of the commission provided by section 24 of the ACC law.
In accordance with the section 24 of the ACC law, the commission can
take any decision independently against the accused. – Staff Reporter
