It contradicts constitutional provision: ACC chief
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has expressed its frustration over the passage of an amended law saying that the act has contradicted the constitution and further weakened the anti-graft body in dealing with corruption independently. “Taking government approval before submitting charge sheet against government officials contradicts the Article 27 of the Constitution and section 24 of the new ACC law,” said ACC chairman Md Bodiuzzaman in his formal reaction.
He said the inclusion of section 197 of the CrPC has curtailed the independence of the commission provided by section 24 of the ACC law.
Parliament on Sunday passed the Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Bill 2013 through a voice vote in absence of the opposition lawmakers
The ACC will now require government permission to submit charge sheets against corrupt government officials.
Talking to reporters at his office, he said some parts of the law are good but some are not satisfactory.
He observed that the new law may increase the trend of corruption among the government employees as the commission will need to take approval before filing charges against them.
“There was a fear among the government officials that they could be implicated in cases if they were found involved in corruption. Now, they feel safe from such condition,” he added.
The ACC boss said the commission would take initiative to pursue the government to repeal the provision.
He alleged that the law was not passed in accordance with the recommendation of the parliamentary standing committee concerned.
“We were also not aware about the inclusion of the section 197 of the CrPC in the law,” he said.
Bodiuzzaman said the new law has, however, empowered the commission in getting official documents from different government departments, raised the tenure of ACC chairman and commissioners from four years to five years, made the commission a party in the higher court and included some punishable sections.
Anti-corruption experts have termed the passage of the bill unnecessary saying it might send a wrong signal
and become embarrassing for the government.
Reacting sharply to the Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Bill 2013, they also said it is contrary to the election pledge of the ruling Awami League and “suicidal for the government”.
Talking to The Independent, former ACC chairman Ghulam Rahman said the amendment would curtail the authority of the commission and contradicts the Article 27 of the Constitution and section 24 of the ACC law.
“It was not necessary to make amendment to the ACC law. It sends a wrong signal. It may be embarrassing for the government,” he observed.
The former ACC boss, however, said since the aim of the commission is to curb corruption and ensure punishment to the corrupt, there will be no problem if both the government and ACC work together sincerely.
-With The Independent input
