ACC considers gravity of allegations

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) considers an allegation's factuality and gravity instead of the accused person's political or social identity, said the commission's Chairman Iqbal Mahmood.

"A person's identity bears no importance to the ACC, which discharges its responsibility independently and impartially," said Iqbal during a discussion with a two-member team led by the World Bank's Country Director for Bangladesh Mercy Tembon at the ACC head office on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) published a report saying that in many cases the ACC uses its power to harass opposition leaders and is lenient towards ruling party leaders. 

The TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, "The ACC has huge power, but that is only on papers, not in reality."

Although the ACC chairman has not given any official response to the TIB's allegation, the ACC Secretary Muhammad Delwar Bakht talked to journalists at his office on this issue.

He said, "In the same report the TIB has said that the ACC has had no visible success in apprehending the major corrupt individuals, but it has also given a high score to the ACC on investigating influential people."

"If you notice the people who the ACC is currently investigating, you will notice that most of them are leaders and activists of the ruling party. Many members of parliament, former ministers and senior leaders of the ruling party have been brought to justice," he added.

Asked why the ACC is objecting to the report that was presented to its senior officials two weeks before its publication, Delwar said, "They (TIB) had shown only the part which contained data. The ACC's position in all the indicators has not been presented accurately in the TIB report."

Commenting on the recently arrested Jubo Mohila League Leader Shamima Nur Papiya, the ACC secretary said, "We will investigate Papiya's assets. If we find any connection between her and any big shot, we will take action against him too."