The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) witnessed a significant fall in the number of corruption cases in recent months, giving rise to questions about the commission's performance.
According to the commission data, a total of 263 cases were filed in 2014 on allegations of corruption while the figure was 350 in the previous year.
Officials concerned claimed the number of graft-related complaints decreased as people were averse to come up to lodge allegations.
But anti- graft activists and experts say the ACC activities should not depend only on submission of allegations-the watchdog has to nose out corrupt practices on its own.
They pointed out lack of confidence of common people in the performance of the national anti-graft body, unprecedented delays in taking or settling those allegations and poor FIR (first information report) drafting as causes behind the fall.
They called upon the ACC high-ups to strictly deal with the graft-related complaints without considering political affiliation of the suspects in order to regain people's trust.
Confirming the fall in the number of corruption cases, ACC Chairman M Badiuzzaman told the FE that the Commission was getting less complaints about corruption. As a result, the number of cases filed in last one year has significantly fallen.
He said the Commission usually goes for investigating and filing cases after getting complaints from different sections of people about corruption.
"Anyone can come to ACC for placing complaint against corruption as the commission's door is open for all, but we don't know why complaints have significantly fallen in recent times," said the ACC chief.
Source in the ACC said that the progress in investigation in corruption cases was very slow as in last three years about 90 per cent cases remained incomplete.
An official of the ACC had an explanation of the sloth: the corruption cases have been taking long time for investigation as most of the cases are very complicated.
He cited a memorandum of understanding (MoU) the Commission has signed recently with the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) of Bangladesh Bank for effective control corruption, including money laundering and economic crimes.
According to ACC sources the Commission has to spend around Tk 30 million a year on lawyers for the purpose. But it could not make any significant progress in dealing with cases of financial crime.
They said the ACC had spent more than Tk 120 million on lawyers over the last four financial years.
The official data showed that a total of 2,424 cases under the commission had been under trial in various courts across the country until November 2014.
Ghulam Rahman, former chairman of the ACC, said the Commission could not ensure security of the complainants and that's why complaints and cases filed against corruption have drastically fallen in recent times.
"We have observed many people show interest in submitting complaint against corruption but face security constraint," he said.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), finds "lack of confidence" of common people in the ACC as main barrier to bringing complaint to the commission.
He said the ACC should take move for investigation and filing case itself, without seeking any complaint or looking to permission, which could help enhance its reputation.
"The ACC is an independent organization which has power to investigate and file case against anyone involved in corruption. But after taking complaint it's going for action," he added.
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