The Anti-Corruption Commission, which is now on a war to eliminate all-pervasive corruption, has decided to constitute an internal committee to investigate allegations of corruption against its own staff, reports UNB.
"An important decision was taken today...As per the ACC Rules, 2007 we should have an internal committee to look into the allegations against the employees of the Commission.
A committee will be constituted ...And we'll take actions against an employee soon," ACC chairman Lt Gen Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury told reporters Monday afternoon.
He, however, would not disclose the name of the ACC employee against whom the internal committee is going to act.
But, a highly placed source at the ACC told UNB that Hasibur Rahman, a deputy director stationed in Mymensingh, is going to be the first official who will be subject to investigation by the internal committee.
Under section 19(1) of the ACC Rules, 2007 there will be a three-member internal committee to investigate the corruption allegations against the employees of the Commission itself. The committee will be headed by the ACC chairman while its two other members will be the ACC secretary and the director general (Law).
According to the source, the ACC chairman has already been convinced that the suspected official has amassed wealth through illegal means.
"So, the chairman didn't pay heed to Hasibur's request of voluntary retirement, early retirement or deputation to other department."
In reply to a query about giving wealth statements of Commission officials working at district-level, the ACC chairman said the reports have already come to the commission and those are being discussed. "I am supervising this is myself."
Sought comments about asking for the wealth statements of advisors to the caretaker government, Mashhud advised the newspaper editors to come up first with their wealth statements before asking others to do so. "It's not right to point fingers."
About the coordination meeting between the Commission and members of the taskforces, the ACC chairman said the meeting was intended to reflect the works done by the Commission along with others and there is no lack of coordination. "The meeting also discussed ways how to take the works ahead. From time to time such meetings will be held here or somewhere else."
Replying to a query about housing for the officials brought from outside the capital, he said the Commission has decided to provide accommodations, if they can, to those officials who were brought to Dhaka from outside.
On his reported remarks about taking actions against those responsible for the pre-emergency situation, the ACC chairman said his comments have been slightly misinterpreted and there is no relation between him and political chaos.
"I said this situation has arisen because people have lost confidence in those people. People have lost confidence in them because they couldn't do their jobs. I talked about taking actions against those who are involved with corruption not with chaos."
Asked if the ACC would inquire the allegations against an advisor for using four cars, Mashhud said, "You (reporters) should find it out. The information is not right. The ACC will have to be satisfied that there is corruption behind it (use of four cars). We have no such information. He might have the affordability."
To a query about corporate corruption, he said the ACC can take actions against individuals, not the corporate houses.