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Download PDF Public service oriented institutions in government and private sectors will be the prime target of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) at the beginning of its new dimensional drive against institutional graft set to start this month.
The commission will not only investigate alleged corruption and irregularities of the organisations but also recommend that the government take remedial measures to check institutional corruption.
ACC sources say they are working to prepare a list of organisations providing public service as well as having allegations of gross corruption and misdeeds against them.
The anti-graft watchdog is not going to reveal names of these organisations now, but will take legal actions based on its findings through investigations.
Explaining the basis of the commission’s selection of organisation for investigation, Col Hanif Iqbal, director general (administration), told The Daily Star, “Negative public perception would be considered to choose the institutions.”
ACC Chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury told the press recently, “I think the activities of the commission will assume a new dimension as we are informed of allegations against different service oriented organisations.”
“Investigations against such organisations will begin by the end of December,” he said without elaborating.
The ACC sources say it is a much-talked issue for decades that people don’t get proper services and are rather harassed due to corruption and irregularities in the government’s utility service sector.
On the other hand, many officials and employees from top tier to bottom level of those institutions embraced corruption and became rich. But hardly anyone was ever called to account to ensure proper service to the public.
The sources say power, water, gas supply offices and telephone departments of the government are known as the save havens of corruption, which is a common perception of the people.
At the beginning of its drive against institutional graft, the ACC would focus on probe into corruption in Power Development Board (PDB), Dhaka Power Supply Authority (Desa), Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa), Telegraph & Telephone Board, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Ltd, a source says.
An ACC official says the police force is also known as a corrupt government department, which is responsible to provide services to the general people.
“Unfortunately, there are innumerable number of allegations against the police department that people don’t get proper services and behaviour from the police and are rather victimised, harassed or suffered by them,” adds another ACC official seeking anonymity.
“There are many organisations where graft at individual level has turned gradually into institutional corruption,” he observes.
“Many other organisations in the public sector and private sector as well are known as corrupt organisations. We know that in comparison some organisations are less corrupt than the others,” says a high official asking not to be named.
“Considering this, we will set our priority as to which organisations should be targeted first,” the official adds.
Another ACC official says they have identified a meter reader in power sector possessing huge amount of movable and immovable property, which does not match with his “known” source of income.
“This meter reader has made his property through a nexus with the power subscribers year after year and it’s an open secret.
“But the higher authorities don’t do anything against him as there is a chain in between the meter readers and other employees and officials who also take a share of the ill-gotten money.”
ACC sources say they would conduct their investigation in accordance with the work pattern of an organisation. For instance, if an organisation’s task is related to procurement, the commission will check transparency in its procurement process.
The commission will also examine the entire work process of an organisation and loopholes, if any, in its system. Considering the pattern the ACC will watch the function of the organisation.
“We will check whether the organisation has its in-build anti-corruption methods and whether it checks its staffs’ assets or not,” says an ACC official.
He says the commission will not only go for legal actions if it finds corruption but also recommend that the government take necessary steps to reduce institutional graft.
After the military-backed caretaker government assumed power, task forces of the National Coordination Committee to combat crime and corruption kicked off the first ever crackdown on institutionalised corruption in government agencies.
The move came as part of the government’s ongoing massive anti-corruption drive being carried out countrywide since February against high-profile graft suspects.
Two-decade-old Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) is the first target of the drive against institutionalised corruption introduced as the second phase of the ongoing anti-graft campaign in an effort to bring necessary reforms to the government agency for making it a service oriented vibrant organisation.
Later the task forces started work in Dhaka City Corporation, Public Works Department, and Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Department.
They are also working at the Chittagong Port and Zia International Airport.
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