THE statutory anti-graft watchdog, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), now appears to be a machinery to save corruption of the influential section of the ruling class and its supporter bureaucrats. By curtailing its power and limiting its independence, the government has turned the watchdog into a subservient body with no bite. Subsequently, public sectors are now enjoying the amusement of swindling public money and are undergoing systematic corruption. In the latest move, the ACC on Wednesday cleared all accused in the Padma Bridge corruption conspiracy case though the World Bank gave the ACC primary evidence and a trial is still on at a Canadian court.
The ACC has concluded its probe in the case at a time when two officials of Canadian firm SNC Lavalin are being tried for conspiring to bribe Abul Hossain, and several other officials and individuals in Bangladesh to get the consultancy job for the project.
The government knows how toothless the ACC is, it also does not take its findings seriously. The ACC found six secretaries of the government including one from the Ministry of Liberation War obtained their certificates as freedom fighters through illicit means. The Ministry says that it has to examine the papers itself to accept the findings of the ACC. The Ministry will define who are to be taken as freedom fighters.
So we shall not be very wrong if we convey the public view of ACC as unhelpful to fight corruption. Our request will be that it should not show over-enthusiasm to harass the weak ones by quizzing for alleged corruption.
