Dhaka, June 27 – Terming the corrupt officials as ‘cancerous element’ for the society,Bangladesh, HC asks, ACC, to remove, corrupt officials, from, Anti-graft body,
It also observed that no corrupt official could remain in the Anti-Corruption Commission as the commission has to work with sincerity and transparency to eradicate corruption from the country.
“ACC is an independent body. We want the commission to work honestly and transparently. A golden age is running in the country’s economy and there is a scope for economic crime. The ACC will have to work with sincerity and transparency so that such crimes cannot take place,” the HC bench comprising Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader came up with the observations while hearing a suo moto (voluntary) rule over compensating Jaha Alam, the man wrongly imprisoned for three years because of identity mix-up.
Later, ACC lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan told reporters that he has informed the commission about the court directive.
During the court proceedings, the HC bench told ACC lawyer to remove all corrupt officials from the commission.
“The corrupt officials should not stay in the Anti-Corruption Commission. We want to commission to work honestly and transparently as it is an independent body,” the HC bench said.
The HC bench also told the ACC lawyer that the country is now passing golden age in the economy sector. If the ACC will not powerful and corruption free, the country would not develop. If there is any corrupt—‘cancer’, give up him from the commission for the greater interest of the country.
Regarding the Jaha Alam, the HC bench said that an innocent man could not be in imprisonment for even a second.
“Jaha Alam told the court again and again that he is Jaha Alam not Salek, the original accused of the corruption cases, but he was not relieved,” the HC bench added.
The HC bench said that the ACC and its lawyer could not avoid the responsibility for the imprisonment of Jaha Alam.
Then, ACC’s lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan told the court that the lower court had a responsibility about exempting Jaha Alam.
Later, the HC bench ordered the ACC to submit its internal committee’s report before it by July 11 on those responsible for implicating and imprisoning Jaha Alam.
The HC also fixed July 11 for further hearing on the issue.
Jute mill worker Jaha Alam, who had been wrongly languishing in jail since February 2016, was released on February 4 this year following an HC directive after newspapers reported about his ordeal.
In 2014, the ACC prosecuted one Abu Salek in 26 cases on charges relating to loan fraud, involving Tk. 185 million, from Sonali Bank.
Officials of the bank, however, identified Jaha Alam as Salek and the jute mill worker was arrested in 2016.
Later, the HC issued a suo motu order to free Jaha Alam following a report published in a national daily and shown on a television channel in February. Jaha Alam was freed from Gazipur’s Kashimpur Jail after serving three years.
On January 28, the HC issued suo moto rule asking the ACC and government why they should not be directed to compensate Jaha Alam. – Staff Reporter
