Tenure of TAC extended by a month

FE Team | Published: September 25, 2008 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
The tenure of the Truth and Accountability Commission (TAC) has been extended by one more month until October 30 as the response from businessmen and bigwigs has been unexpectedly low since its inception.
A total of 252 applications have been received by the TAC until September 23 through anti-corruption commission (ACC), national co-ordination committee (NCC), courts and voluntarily, said its chairman Justice Habibur Rahman at a press conference Wednesday.
The figure includes only eight businessmen.
The TAC expects to receive about Tk 160 million from the 57 individuals who has already received the commission's mercy.
The TAC chairman has expressed his frustration over the poor response of corrupt bigwigs' and high officials.
"We have only got response from the low-ranking officials of different agencies including Titas, RAJUK, DESA, BTCL, roads and highways but high officials are not seeking any clemency."
Profession-wise, apart from eight businessmen, the TAC has received applications from 218 government servants, 19 wives of government servants and seven from other professions.
Among the applicants, the TAC has only received 10 applications voluntary while 73 were forwarded by ACC, 166 by NCC and three by courts.
The TAC has so far completed hearings of 103 applicants while four are in progress.
"The TAC has relieved four person as they are not financially and physically capable to deposit money for their wrong doings," he said.
"We have deposited the collected money worth Tk 80 million in an account of the Bangladesh Bank (BB)," the TAC chief said.
The TAC has extended the time for the second time. The deadline was initially set for September 1 and then it was extended to September 30.
"We hope that a number of bigwigs will knock at the door of TAC if they get sufficient time," the TAC chairman said.
The TAC has sent back two cases to the NCC as they did not seek mercy in the commission.
The TAC has given verdict to 11 individuals until Tuesday. The individuals include officials of BIWTA, Sylhet city corporation, forest and land ministry officials.
Sources said the commission has passed the verdicts after matching the wealth statements of the ACC and NCC investigation reports against those persons.