TIB seeks withdrawal of ACC’s work order granting greater powers to secretary

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has demanded that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) withdraw the work order that gives its secretary the authority to appoint and transfer deputy director and assistant director level officers involved in any investigation and inquiry, reports news agency UNB.

Expressing concerns, TIB said that this order could undermine the power of the ACC because the commission’s chairman and commissioners will no longer have the aforementioned power, according to a press release.

Mentioning the office order published on the ACC website on 18 December, Iftekharuzzaman, the executive director of TIB, said, “According to the relevant law, the executive power of the ACC is entrusted to the chairman and the commissioners under his leadership.”

“What was the logic behind this shift of executive power? Why did the Commission decide to leave the power in the hands of the secretary, aka the bureaucracy?” asked Iftekharuzzaman.

“This suicidal decision cedes all powers to the bureaucracy, including the permanent employment of ACC investigating officers, granting of current duties, allowances and leave, pension, PRL, awards on conviction of cases, and so on. Nothing remains of the ACC now,” he added.

Stating the shift in executive authority to be the final nail in the coffin of public expectations from the national anti-graft agency, TIB urged to revoke the order as soon as possible.