ACC may face challenges under political govt: Mashhud
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury Monday admitted that there had been pressure on his Commission and there had been efforts to influence its activities, reports UNB.
"There has been pressure (on the Commission). There have been efforts to influence (the activities). Situations have been shown as excuses in different ways. We've also seen things being discussed whether there is anything to do in case of political initiative and whether a case can be filed differently," he told reporters in the Commission's regular briefing.
Asked where the pressure came from, he only said the main thing was to see whether the ACC had been influenced. "It could be judged after a few days."
Retired Lt Gen Mashhud also acknowledged that the reconstituted Commission could not accomplish as expected due to debates, suspicions, inconvenience and judicial process.
He said the anti-graft watchdog would face challenges under the next political government that would assume power from the caretaker government after the election.
The ACC chairman said the ACC activities could face obstacles from different agencies under the next government.
He also said the challenges could be of positive sense when the next elected government would want the Commission to do more. "The Commission is ready to face all the challenges."
The former army chief-turned-anti-corruption campaigner said he and other commissioners did not come to the Commission giving any undertaking.
Replying to a question about harassing politicians, Gen Mashhud dismissed the allegation saying that the anti-graft campaign launched by the ACC was not intended against any particular quarter. He said the ACC's relationship with the government would be of 'working relationship' and if the Commission faced problems during the next government they would try to resolve those with the help of all.
"There should not be any hindrance to ACC activities under any circumstances," the ACC chief said.
If the political government did not cooperate, he said, they would raise the issue with the judiciary whether the Commission could work independently. "I'm not thinking at all that we shall not receive cooperation."
"There has been pressure (on the Commission). There have been efforts to influence (the activities). Situations have been shown as excuses in different ways. We've also seen things being discussed whether there is anything to do in case of political initiative and whether a case can be filed differently," he told reporters in the Commission's regular briefing.
Asked where the pressure came from, he only said the main thing was to see whether the ACC had been influenced. "It could be judged after a few days."
Retired Lt Gen Mashhud also acknowledged that the reconstituted Commission could not accomplish as expected due to debates, suspicions, inconvenience and judicial process.
He said the anti-graft watchdog would face challenges under the next political government that would assume power from the caretaker government after the election.
The ACC chairman said the ACC activities could face obstacles from different agencies under the next government.
He also said the challenges could be of positive sense when the next elected government would want the Commission to do more. "The Commission is ready to face all the challenges."
The former army chief-turned-anti-corruption campaigner said he and other commissioners did not come to the Commission giving any undertaking.
Replying to a question about harassing politicians, Gen Mashhud dismissed the allegation saying that the anti-graft campaign launched by the ACC was not intended against any particular quarter. He said the ACC's relationship with the government would be of 'working relationship' and if the Commission faced problems during the next government they would try to resolve those with the help of all.
"There should not be any hindrance to ACC activities under any circumstances," the ACC chief said.
If the political government did not cooperate, he said, they would raise the issue with the judiciary whether the Commission could work independently. "I'm not thinking at all that we shall not receive cooperation."