Staff Reporter :
The laws recommended by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Reform Commission will be enacted within the next one to two months, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said on Thursday.
“The ACC Reform Commission has made several important recommendations. These will be enacted into law within the next one to two months. I have discussed the matter in detail with the ACC chairman,” he told reporters after meeting with ACC Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen at 2:00pm.
The Reform Commission, which submitted its report to the Chief Adviser on 15 January, called for sweeping changes aimed at reducing bureaucratic dominance in the ACC and broadening the recruitment pool beyond career civil servants.
The commission proposed that key posts-including secretary, director general, and director-be filled through open, competitive processes rather than restricted to the public administration cadre.
It recommended reserving 60% of director general posts and 75% of director posts for internal candidates meeting eligibility criteria, while capping deputation appointments to 10% of director general, director, and deputy director positions. Officers deputed from the judiciary or law enforcement for investigation or trial purposes would be exempted from this limit.
To prevent politically motivated recruitment, the commission suggested creating a seven-member selection committee.
It also called for increasing the number of commissioners from three to five-ensuring at least one woman-and expanding the number of director generals from eight to 12.
Commissioners’ tenure would be reduced from five years to four.
Among its broader proposals, the commission recommended granting the ACC constitutional recognition, establishing an ombudsman, permanently abolishing the legalisation of undeclared money, criminalising bribery in the private sector, mandating public disclosure of the beneficiaries of companies, trusts, and foundations.
To promote transparency, the commission suggested requiring political parties and candidates to disclose detailed financial statements.
Elected representatives and their family members would need to submit income and asset declarations to the Election Commission within three months of assuming office, and annually thereafter.
The EC would publish these records online.
It also recommended that political parties avoid giving leadership positions or election nominations to individuals implicated in corruption.
To speed up case processing, the commission advised scrapping the mandatory pre-investigation inquiry for offences under the ACC’s jurisdiction and establishing Special Judge Courts in every district where ACC offices operate.
Other recommendations include amending the Whistleblower Protection Act, introducing a dedicated law to protect corruption whistleblowers, and reforming the ineffective Disclosure Protection Act.
The report further emphasised the need for a disciplinary commission to dismiss corrupt officials and maintain surveillance through counterintelligence.
If implemented, the proposals would represent the most comprehensive overhaul of the ACC since its inception.
