10 to 15 AL leaders under ACC scanner
The Anti-Corruption Commission was dealing with graft allegations against some 10 to 15 ruling party men, its Chairman Iqbal Mahmood said yesterday.
“Some 10 to 15 ruling party men are under prosecution, investigation and inquiry,” he said at a seminar at the capital’s Jatiya Press Club.
He, however, did not give any further details on them.
The seminar, titles “The Role of Lawyers and the Judiciary in Curbing Corruption”, was organised by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).
The ACC chairman made the comments after the anti-graft watchdog was criticised earlier and at the seminar for hardly playing a strong role when allegations were raised against ruling party men and not being able to take action against “big fish”.
He, however, did not disclose what level the ruling party men belong to.
Iqbal, who was the chief guest of the seminar, said besides the ruling party men, they had also been probing into allegations against 15 men from one political party and 12 men from another.
Moreover, the ACC has been either inquiring or investigating allegations against 25 people involved in business and some 15 bureaucrats -- from the secretary to the joint secretary levels, he said.
He said the commission lacks capability and also has legal limitations. He stressed on the change needed in people’s mindsets to fight against corruption.
On his remarks at the recent DC conference about how activities done in “good faith while discharging duties were not crimes” in line with the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), he said he did not speak about corruption in his remarks.
“How ‘corruption’ came in I have no idea,” he added.
The comments he made during recent DC conference stirred controversy on social media and in the mainstream media.
At the seminar, HRPB President Advocate Manzil Murshid said the ACC has the opportunity to play a strong role in curbing corruption.
“The question is whether it will use such an opportunity.”
Eminent jurist Barrister M Amir-ul Islam said corruption and degradation have plagued the society like a “great flood”.
“A great flood of corruption has begun. We have to stop this flood…,” he said.
He added that graft cannot be eradicated with enforcing laws or awarding jail sentences alone, but implanting values and ethics in children from schools must be done to achieve such a goal, he added.
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