Landmark HC verdict will strengthen ACC

The High Court of Bangladesh has declared the controversial provision of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) law requiring the anti-graft body to take government's permission before suing government employees for corruption illegal. Now, the ACC will be able to investigate into the involvement of government officials in any type of corruption, including nepotism, bribery, tax-evasion etc.

The government placed the ACC law amendment bill in parliament in February 2011. Different development partners, non-government organisations and individuals working for good governance expressed their concern over the passage of the law. Amid a huge uproar, a parliamentary body decided to visit some countries to gather experience on the anti-graft body. The delegation reported that the anti-graft bodies in those countries operate independently, and without intervention from other organisations of the state.

Then the parliamentary body placed a report in parliament recommending cancellation of the provision. The HC found the provision inconsistent with people's fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution. The provision has created discrimination between citizens of the country because it had given immunity to a section of people from the law. The common people as well as Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) have expressed satisfaction over this landmark verdict.

Sk Shahjahan Ali

Boyra, Khulna