ACC plans to go after graft by govt staff

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The Anti-Corruption Commission is planning to dig out corruption in the civil administration across the country in the wake of enormous pressure from the field level.

ACC sources say at present they are initiating enquiries about officials serving as deputy commissioners (DCs) during five years of the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance government.

Allegations are rife that a large number of government officials who were posted as DCs were political partisans during the BNP-Jamaat rule.

Speaking anonymously, an ACC official said many government officials including DCs served the ruling parties, influential political leaders, lawmakers and ministers instead of discharging their duties impartially.

“We have a train of allegations that many former DCs were involved in corruption in public construction work, awarding tenders and in many other sectors,” says a source.

“A DC had even composed poems about former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s son and BNP senior joint secretary general Tarique Rahman to flatter him,” the source adds.

“We have many district-level government officials who had carried out duties during the five years of alliance government as party activists. They also misused public funds by abuse of power for their personal as well as party interest,” said an ACC official.

After the military-backed caretaker government assumed power several government officials including DCs were either transferred or made OSD (officer on special duty) for their controversial role, ACC sources say.

The sources go on to say that the commission has received huge corruption allegations regarding district-level top government officials when ACC Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury held views exchange meetings in all 64 districts last month.

The ACC boss completed holding such meetings after assuming his post as part of his plans to create awareness against corruption.

ACC officials said during those district level meetings locals criticised ongoing anti-corruption crackdown for targeting mainly the political leaders. They strongly recommended taking action against public servants working with the civil and police administration.

“We didn’t receive any specific allegations against any former DC. We have received allegations against government officials as a whole from many districts,” said a top ACC official asking not to be identified.

He also said: “We have received many recommendations in this regard and now we’re planning to conduct enquiries based on allegations and recommendations received so far.”

Although the unprecedented anti-graft drive has succeeded in creating an impression that no-one is above the law questions were raised about discrimination in targeting corruption suspects.

Different sections of people expressed their surprise why public offices, which are always blamed for huge corruption, are not coming under the purview of the present drive.

Sources say fearing an adverse reaction in the bureaucratic machinery the bodies responsible for combating corruption could not take any initiative to dig out corruption of government officials and prosecute them.

The same allegations were raised at the district level anti-corruption meetings organised by ACC.

ACC sources say many locals during the meetings came up with allegations of corruption in presence of incumbent DC, SP and other officials of the local administration.

But no officials protested against the allegations. Even no-one responded when ACC officials almost in every meeting asked the civil servants to stand up and claim that they were not involved in corruption.

At the meetings, locals demanded actions against corruption by public servants and police at district and upazila levels. They said it would not be possible to eliminate or curb corruption if administration and police remain corrupt.

Sources say growing demands like this exerted pressure on ACC, prompting the anti-graft watchdog to enquire into corruption by at least the ex-DCs.

The sources add that ACC is also planning to examine wealth statements recently submitted by the government officials to the establishment ministry.

An ACC official said despite shortage of manpower to deal with the huge tasks of ongoing drive, it is now possible to probe corruption by some government officials because of a few new recruitments.

The sources say ACC is not going to dig corruption in police administration now as Inspector General of Police Nur Mohammad assured Gen Mashhud in several meetings of taking all necessary steps to curb corruption in the force.

An ACC official said following the IGP’s assurance the commission wants to monitor progress in the police administration regarding corruption.

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