Special Correspondent :
The country’s anti-graft watchdog’s ‘hotline’ has been overwhelmed with thousands of calls about acts of corruption in the first eleven days of its introduction, its officials said on Wednesday.
It, however, forwarded more than 300 relevant complaints for investigation.
On July 27, the Anti-Corruption Commission invited calls to get information about bribes in government offices, misappropriation of state money or funds, amassing of wealth through illegal means, money laundering and bank frauds.
“The hotline number 106 was launched in an effort to crack down on graft. Since July 27, more than 110,000 people called our hotline. On an average, we received over 10, 000 calls a day,” ACC Deputy Director and spokesman Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya said.
Five ACC officials handle this hotline service. A substantial number of calls are being forwarded to a voicemail messaging system. One or more persons simultaneously can lodge their complaints. If they wish, their identities will be kept secret.
“But most of the callers were beyond the ACC jurisdiction. They lodged complaints over personal family disputes and dowry demands. More than 300 relevant complaints were forwarded for investigation, Pranab further said.
An official of the hotline cell told The New Nation, requesting anonymity, “Second highest complaints are related to land. It is followed by utility services, state-run hospitals, government-run schools and railway and road transport authorities.”
ACC officials said they were encouraging calls over the corruption in upazila chairman office, Money for work, Rural Electricity Board, physicians’ absence and negligence in hospitals, Election Commission, local police administration, Narcotics Control Department, drugs business, women repression, passport office, railway sector, extra money charge by mobile operators and others.
In line with the ‘hotline’ project, the ACC has already formed three special teams to take instant action after getting huge number of complaints about corruption.
“Immediate actions will be taken against some disposable issues. We have formed three special teams….We want to work against corruption jointly according to the demand of the people,” the ACC Chairman Iqbal Mahmud said recently.
The ACC authorities, however, made it clear that all the complaints will not be taken into consideration. The complaints at first would be sent to the ACC cell. After scrutiny, only
investigable, complaints will be forwarded. ACC Chairman said that the initiative has been taken to make a close relation with the people with a view to tackling widespread graft.
But questions raised why the ACC did not invite call specifically about the corruption in some important sectors and ministries, which have caused severe problems, including water logging, dilapidated roads, import of rotten wheat and rice, deposit in Swiss banks and Yaba business.
The country’s anti-graft watchdog’s ‘hotline’ has been overwhelmed with thousands of calls about acts of corruption in the first eleven days of its introduction, its officials said on Wednesday.
It, however, forwarded more than 300 relevant complaints for investigation.
On July 27, the Anti-Corruption Commission invited calls to get information about bribes in government offices, misappropriation of state money or funds, amassing of wealth through illegal means, money laundering and bank frauds.
“The hotline number 106 was launched in an effort to crack down on graft. Since July 27, more than 110,000 people called our hotline. On an average, we received over 10, 000 calls a day,” ACC Deputy Director and spokesman Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya said.
Five ACC officials handle this hotline service. A substantial number of calls are being forwarded to a voicemail messaging system. One or more persons simultaneously can lodge their complaints. If they wish, their identities will be kept secret.
“But most of the callers were beyond the ACC jurisdiction. They lodged complaints over personal family disputes and dowry demands. More than 300 relevant complaints were forwarded for investigation, Pranab further said.
An official of the hotline cell told The New Nation, requesting anonymity, “Second highest complaints are related to land. It is followed by utility services, state-run hospitals, government-run schools and railway and road transport authorities.”
ACC officials said they were encouraging calls over the corruption in upazila chairman office, Money for work, Rural Electricity Board, physicians’ absence and negligence in hospitals, Election Commission, local police administration, Narcotics Control Department, drugs business, women repression, passport office, railway sector, extra money charge by mobile operators and others.
In line with the ‘hotline’ project, the ACC has already formed three special teams to take instant action after getting huge number of complaints about corruption.
“Immediate actions will be taken against some disposable issues. We have formed three special teams….We want to work against corruption jointly according to the demand of the people,” the ACC Chairman Iqbal Mahmud said recently.
The ACC authorities, however, made it clear that all the complaints will not be taken into consideration. The complaints at first would be sent to the ACC cell. After scrutiny, only
investigable, complaints will be forwarded. ACC Chairman said that the initiative has been taken to make a close relation with the people with a view to tackling widespread graft.
But questions raised why the ACC did not invite call specifically about the corruption in some important sectors and ministries, which have caused severe problems, including water logging, dilapidated roads, import of rotten wheat and rice, deposit in Swiss banks and Yaba business.