Khaleda Zia and the ACC

Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia resisted the formation of the Anti- Corruption Commission as long as she could. Bangladesh already inherited an Act entitled “Prevention of Corruption Act 1947”. A department of the government called the Bureau of Anti-Corruption was entrusted with the responsibility for fighting corruption.
During the last year of Sheikh Hasina's tenure, Bangladesh was declared by the Transparency International as the most corrupt country of the world. Bangladesh continued to retain the position during the successive years in 2001, 2002 and 2003. The donor organisations put pressure on Khaleda Zia to form an independent commission to prevent corruption.
Finally, Khaleda yielded and had to create an independent anti corruption commission in 2004. She however took sufficient precaution to make the ACC ineffective in all possible ways! She appointed a 76 years old retired justice of the high court as the chairman and a 72 years old educationist as a member of the commission. The member was a staunch supporter of her party. The chairman and the member never saw eye to eye and so could not agree on any matter. Moreover, the tenure of office of the chairman and the members of the commission was fixed for a period of four years.
The events of 11 January 2007 foiled all her evil plans. A new caretaker government was formed. The chairman and the members of the Anti- Corruption Commission had to resign. A new chairman was sworn in with steadfast conviction to eradicate corruption. The ACC is now taking into account scores of glaring corruption cases against the former prime minister, her sons and ministers. Now Khaleda is being prosecuted by the ACC which she created.
After all, the man who invented the guillotine was also guillotined!