Empowering the ACC
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Establishment of an independent, powerful, effective and impartial Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was one of the electoral pledges of the present AL-led government. Moreover, the election manifesto committed to eradicating corruption, as such submitting yearly wealth statements by the powerful people would be made mandatory, stern action would be taken against the corrupt people, black money holders, loan defaulters, toll collectors, tender manipulators, and musclemen in all the sectors of the country.
A citizen's charter would be introduced for establishing people's rights on every government departments, and extensive computerisation in every government office would stem corruption.
But it is matter of great regret that after assuming office the present government is quite indifferent to making the ACC independent, powerful, impartial and effective.
The amended ACC Act, just approved by the Cabinet, is a case in point. It is obvious that to fight corruption only a strong ACC is necessary. According to media reports, the amended Act has a provision to seek prior permission of the government before filing any graft case against corrupt civil servants and regrettably the Act denies people access to confidential information of government, semi government, autonomous offices and organisations.
Undoubtedly, it will become a veritable reincarnation of its previous Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) which was subservient to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the matter of drawing any proceedings against corrupt government functionaries. In the circumstances, we can say that the amendments have been given approval by the Cabinet only for turning the ACC into the former ineffective ACB.
The bureaucracy, which retains enough power and wants to remain above accountability and responsibility, has taken this measure in a bid to make the ACC ineffective. In view of this, the Prime Minister along with her cabinet colleagues should not forget their election pledges to the voters.
If the government thinks that it has been given a mandate through absolute majority for doing whatever it liked, no doubt, this concept will be totally destructive for them. People had elected the government for consolidating democracy, improving living standard, ensuring transparency and accountability in the country.
According to a survey conducted by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on July, 2010, at least 96 per cent of the respondents wanted an independent and effective ACC and 73 per cent opposed the provision for taking prior permission for investigating graft case against the civil servants. The consequence of making the bureaucrats happy will not bring any good to the party in power. We hope the government will rethink about the amendments before placing it to the parliament.
Lutfor Rahman
Ghoraghat, Dinajpur
E-mail:mlutforr@ovi.com
A citizen's charter would be introduced for establishing people's rights on every government departments, and extensive computerisation in every government office would stem corruption.
But it is matter of great regret that after assuming office the present government is quite indifferent to making the ACC independent, powerful, impartial and effective.
The amended ACC Act, just approved by the Cabinet, is a case in point. It is obvious that to fight corruption only a strong ACC is necessary. According to media reports, the amended Act has a provision to seek prior permission of the government before filing any graft case against corrupt civil servants and regrettably the Act denies people access to confidential information of government, semi government, autonomous offices and organisations.
Undoubtedly, it will become a veritable reincarnation of its previous Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) which was subservient to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the matter of drawing any proceedings against corrupt government functionaries. In the circumstances, we can say that the amendments have been given approval by the Cabinet only for turning the ACC into the former ineffective ACB.
The bureaucracy, which retains enough power and wants to remain above accountability and responsibility, has taken this measure in a bid to make the ACC ineffective. In view of this, the Prime Minister along with her cabinet colleagues should not forget their election pledges to the voters.
If the government thinks that it has been given a mandate through absolute majority for doing whatever it liked, no doubt, this concept will be totally destructive for them. People had elected the government for consolidating democracy, improving living standard, ensuring transparency and accountability in the country.
According to a survey conducted by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on July, 2010, at least 96 per cent of the respondents wanted an independent and effective ACC and 73 per cent opposed the provision for taking prior permission for investigating graft case against the civil servants. The consequence of making the bureaucrats happy will not bring any good to the party in power. We hope the government will rethink about the amendments before placing it to the parliament.
Lutfor Rahman
Ghoraghat, Dinajpur
E-mail:mlutforr@ovi.com