European Union (EU) delegates at a meeting of the Local Consultative Group
on Monday expressed their concern over curtailing the Anti Corruption
Commission’s (ACC) authority to file cases against government officials.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith said this to reporters at a press briefing
after the LCG Plenary Meeting at Economic Relations Division (ERD). The
new provision will require the ACC and the criminal courts to seek
government sanction for filing corruption cases against public servants in
line with section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The controversial
provision was incorporated in the Anti Corruption Commission Bill 2013,
which was passed by parliament by voice vote yesterday (Sunday). Muhith
also noted that the provision was not there when the law minister proposed
the amendment to the ACC Act in parliament. “The provision made its way
later during the review of the standing committee and without much
knowledge about it among us when it was passed yesterday,” he said.
Talking to the media on Sunday, ACC chairman M Bodiuzzaman on said he was
not aware about the provision of curtailing the power of ACC to challenge
suspected corruption of government officials. The press briefing was also
addressed by UN resident coordinator and also the co-chair of the LCG, Neal
Walkar, and ERD secretary and co-chair of LCG Abul Kalam Azad. – UNB
