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Download PDF The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will extend the scope of its activities to look into “corruption within the military”.
A 10-member Danish delegation said this at a press briefing yesterday shortly after meeting ACC Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury at his office.
“They [ACC] are having a programme starting to find out and follow up on corruption in the military. I think that’s a good and right sign,” said Danish lawmaker Helge Adam Møller, quoting from discussions between the ACC boss and the representatives of Denmark parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.
“What about the military? Like in police and politics there could also be corruption,” Møller quoted Mongens Lykketoft, former Danish minister for foreign affairs and finance, as asking Hasan Mashhud during the meeting.
However, no ACC official could elaborate on the matter when contacted.
Replying to a query on transparency in the anti-graft body’s work, Møller said many high-ranking politicians including former ministers and state ministers have been brought to book while police officers and big businessmen too were not spared.
He also observed that before the next general election the political parties should reach a consensus that the ACC must be allowed to work independently.
He also noted that the ongoing anti-graft drive is crucial to the parliamentary polls that should be held by this year-end.
Asked about the human rights condition in Bangladesh, he said, “Under the state of emergency there are some normal democratic rights you do not have. But what’s really important is that the period [of the state of emergency] is as short as necessary and you get full democratic rights.”
Referring to the situation before January last year, Møller said, “You had to have this caretaker government.”
About detention of corruption suspects, he said if need be, an individual could be detained, but in that case, he/she must be produced before a judge soon.
He said the present commission is conducting the anti-graft drive at a pace faster than that a couple of years back. Reconstitution of the ACC and Election Commission, and move to establish a human rights commission are great steps before election, he added.
Peder Larsen, Lykketolt, Henrik Otbo, and Erik Houmand were among the delegates. ACC Director General (Admin) Col Hanif Iqbal was present during the briefing at the ACC headquarters.
Meanwhile, the ACC yesterday decided to issue a notice to former deputy secretary Abdul Matin, asking him to submit wealth statement.
February 12th, 2008 at 6:23 am
This will be a good move. Many desrving senior Army officers often get bypassed in promotion to higher ranks illegally. All higher Rank promotions including those for the Armed forces Chief of Staff may be investigated to see whether these were biased or any corrution made. Many mid level army officers own very expensive apartments and buildings in various DOHS. ACC may investigate the source of income and means to built such expensive houses. Many Retired Army officers indulged in corruption while working in various sector corporations. But they reamin above justice .Few appointments of well known corrupt retired Army officers as CEO of sector corporation even during CTG regime also should be investiageted.