Bangladesh News

The council of advisers to the caretaker government (CG) yesterday formed a seven-member committee to look into legal, administrative and institutional issues of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) to find its shortcomings that need to be mended to combat corruption.

The seven-member committee headed by Law Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein will pinpoint the shortcomings to make the ACC fully functional, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser (CA) Syed Fahim Munaim said at a news briefing at the CA’s office last night.

Other members of the committee are the communication adviser, cabinet secretary, home and finance secretaries, ACC secretary, and the attorney general.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed chaired the first ever meeting of his cabinet that continued for two hours beginning at 7:15pm at the CA’s office in Tejgaon.

The council of advisers discussed steps to be taken to implement the pledges the CA had made in his first ever address to the nation on Sunday night. They considered the pledges as a roadmap for the caretaker government and stressed their quick implementation, said the CA’s press secretary.

“Curbing corruption was on the top of the agenda of today’s meeting and the advisers emphasised it the most,” the press secretary told newsmen.

The committee will find whether there are legal, administrative and institutional flaws in the commission, ‘to expedite the corruption cases because they (the caretaker government) want to advance very quickly’, Fahim Munaim said.

While being specific about the committee’s area of function, he said the members will see whether the ACC faces legal constraints in the fight against corruption, what are holding it back, and whether it needs to be reconstituted.

The committee will submit its report on how to remove the legal, administrative or institutional barriers to make the ACC effective to expedite corruption cases, Fahim Munaim said.

The ACC — formed by the immediate past BNP-led four-party alliance government on November 21, 2004 to fulfil one of its major electoral pledges made during the 2001 election has been virtually dormant since its formation.

Replying to a query, the CA’s press secretary said the meeting of the advisory council also discussed steps for identifying the corruptionists and filing of cases against them.

“You’ll see a progress regarding the matter soon,” he added.

On whether the issue of the Election Commission reconstitution was discussed at the meeting, he said it was.

Asked whether the meeting discussed the matter of appointing a new chief election commissioner, he replied in the negative.