Functioning of ACC to be hampered

Civil society members yesterday termed unfortunate the resignation of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chairman and said quitting of the top personnel will hamper effective functioning of the hugely important national body.
In reaction to the resignation of ACC Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, they said it will push the future of the commission into uncertainty.
They said if there were any allegation against him, those should have been investigated. If there were any “injudicious pressure” from any quarter, the ACC chairman also could have sought protection under the laws, they said.
The citizen's movement activists, however, expected that the present government, which pledged to strengthen the ACC and to continue the anti-corruption drives, must appoint a more competitive chairman for the ACC to check corruption in every sphere of life.
“The untimely resignation of Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury is very unfortunate,” said Regulatory Reforms Commission Chairman Akbar Ali Khan.
“Abrupt changes of top officials of such a nationally important institute will hamper continuity of ACC's effective functioning,” he said, adding that it is not enough to have honest and competent people for the post but it is also necessary to maintain continuity of the responsibilities.
If there is any “pressure” or something injudicious from any quarter, Hasan Mashhud could take protection of the laws and continue his responsibility, said Akbar Ali Khan, also a former adviser to a caretaker government.
M Hafizuddin Khan, another former adviser to a caretaker government, said it is frustrating that the ACC chairman who brought dynamism and gave life to the ACC by taking actions against corrupt people has resigned.
Hasan Mashhud visited from one part of the country to another to create anti-corruption awareness among people, he told The Daily Star.
Though the ACC chairman officially said he resigned for personal reasons, his indication means something different: that it was not possible for him to continue to be in the post and function properly, said Hafizuddin.
The chairman could take the shelter of the laws to protect him, Hafizuddin Khan said, adding that the ACC and the anti-corruption drive as a whole will be affected if the post is not replaced by a truly honest, competent and non-biased person.
“A strong leadership in the ACC is a must,” he said, observing that the present government came to power with a pledge that it would make the ACC stronger and it must do it.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said resignation of the ACC chairman has created an uncertainty over the anti-corruption drive at least for the time being.
A minister welcomed the resignation, which means the resignation is the reflection of the government decision, he said.
If there is really any allegation against him, those should have been investigated and actions taken as per the laws for ACC's accountability, transparency and effectiveness, he said. “Resignation is not a solution.”
The future chairman will also make them correct if any mistake happened in the past, said the TIB official.