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Download PDF Soon after the taskforces put on the legal vest yesterday, the all-powerful corruption and crime busting forces vowed to spare none, not even the top two political leaders– Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, if graft links found.
“Of course, it depends on the complaints that we receive (against them),” Chief Coordinator of the National Coordination Committee Major General Masud Uddin Chowdhury told The Daily Star, coming out of his meeting with the Anti-corruption Commission Chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury yesterday.
The general officer commanding (GOC) of Nine Infantry Division went to the ACC for reviewing the ongoing drive against high profile corruption suspects after the gazette notification on formation of the taskforce committees was issued yesterday (but dated March 8), giving retrospective effect from February 4.
The chief coordinatior also admitted that the taskforces, albeit unofficial then, masterminded all operations since February 4, when the political arena was caught off guard with the arrest of heavyweights like Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, former communications minister of BNP Nazmul Huda and ex-Awami League minister Mohammad Nasim.
Under the supervision of the National Co-ordination Committee headed by Communication Adviser Major General (retd) MA Matin, the taskforces will be authorised to detain persons without warrant, conduct search or confiscate properties of people linked with any types of crime and act tough on money-launderers.
“The taskforce has been working since early February. The formalisation process was completed giving retrospective effect to the taskforce actions,” said the general, who warned his units would not judge who is who in their crusade against crime. “There is no consideration for who they are. You’ve already got evidence. Those who appeared untouchables once are already apprehended,” he said.
ACC Chairman Hasan Mashhud meanwhile preferred to get his priorities right first. “We need to decide first whether we go after the crimes committed years back or we go for the corruption suspects of immediate past years.”
“No-one will be spared eventually. Since the pent-up grievances of people are too high against the immediate past government, we would like to live up to their expectation first,” said Mashhud, adding that the ACC would go ahead with the second list of 50 corruption suspects made public by the taskforces hours before Tarique Rahman, eldest son of ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia, was arrested in the early hours of March 8.
Sources said, the second list of 50 top corruption suspects was drawn up by the taskforces, and inquiry will be done by the ACC with the taskforces playing crucial role in the outcome.
The central body of the National Co-ordination Committee, which drafts in all seven GOCs as members, will prepare and update the list of corrupt people, giving the taskforces — one central, seven regional/city and 64 district-based — seven days to complete investigation after filing of a case.
The sweeping powers of the taskforces will compel any government and non-government organisations to provide information about persons linked with different crimes, giving rise to the fear of the ACC playing a second fiddle to taskforces.
But the chief coordinator of taskforces General Masud was quick to play down the fear, saying that taskforces will assist the ACC as the organisation runs short of manpower.
“It will require some time for the ACC for capacity building. The taskforces will help the ACC in the government’s jihad (crusade) against corruption,” he said. “The reason a comprehensive taskforce has been formed through assembling manpower from the government’s different organs is to nail someone found guilty on different grounds.”
It saves the government from carrying out separate investigations on a person with various offence charges, the general argued.
The ACC chairman also echoed the same. “The aim of the ACC and the National Coordination Committee is the same. So, there is no scope for a problem.”
“The responsibility has been given to the committee in consultation with the ACC. That is why there is no chance for misunderstanding,” asserted Mashhud, a former army chief and rebel adviser to the caretaker government of a controversial Iajuddin.
Twenty taskforces are now out in action in the Dhaka metropolitan area and another 20 would soon join them, said chief co-ordinator General Masud. Four taskforces are active in the Chittagong metropolitan area, and the number is to go up, if required.
The taskforces will not rest on getting ready cases and charge sheets but follow those up till the disposal by keeping constant contacts and communications with relevant authorities.
In case of inquiry, investigation and litigation, the taskforces will not only take help from different government organs but also communicate and coordinate with the ACC, National Board of Revenue (NBR), Auditor and Comptroller General, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), police, Special Branch (SB), Criminal Investigation Department, Rab, National Security Intelligence (NSI), Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, Bangladesh Bank and any other organisations or sources.
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