‘I’m a victim of vengeance,’ says Sharif Uddin

Staff Reporter :
The Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday removed its deputy assistant director Md Sharif Uddinwho recently came into the spotlight by investigating corruption and irregularities.
After losing his job, Sharif Uddin said he is worried about his and his family’s security.
He claimed he received ‘death threats’ and ‘threats to remove him from his job’ for unearthing corruptions by a powerful quarter.
 Sharif Uddin had previously filed a general diary with Khulshi Police Station overthe threat. Within 16 days of filing the diary, the ACC issued a notice removing him from his post.
The ACC on Wednesday gave Sharif Uddinstand release as per 54 (2) of ACC (staff) rules, 2008. Reason behind his termination could not be known immediately.
“I became a victim of ‘vengeance’ of a powerful quarter for unearthing their corruption. I might become a victim of “disappearance” at any time,” he feared.
While talking with the media over phone, Sharif Uddin said he had worked in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar for most of his seven-year long carrier in the ACC.
“I had investigated a lot of big corruption particularly in Chattogram where 155 people were involved in anomalies and corruption during land acquisition for a government project during the tenure. I had given a charge-sheet against 20 people for issuing Bangladeshi passports to Rohingyas,” he said.
Last year, he had recommended filing cases against 29 top government officials including three deputy commissioners after conducting probe on several irregularities.
“Besides, I have lodged a report against Petrobangla’s Director (planning) Ayub Khan for his irregularities at a Petrobangla project. After that, he (Ayub Khan) came to my house on January 30 and intimidated to remove me within a week”.
He said he informed the higher authorities about the threat. “But after 16 days, the ACC authorities sacked me. They did not even issue show cause notice.”
Meanwhile, leaders and activists of JagrataChattraSamaj, a students’ organisation working for human rights based in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, formed a human chain in front of the Chattogram Press Club on Friday protesting the termination of Deputy Assistant Director of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Md Sharif Uddin.
Fazle Azim Mohammad Chigatullah, president of JagrataChhatraSamaj Cox’s Bazar unit, alleged that ACC official Sharif was an efficient and honest officer who filed over 52 corruption cases after unearthing irregularities in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar.
“Because of his stance against corruption, he became the target of a powerful syndicate. Instead of taking the side of this honest officer, the ACC has removed him taking the side of the corrupt,” he added.
He was not given chance for self-defenceand was terminated through just a simple notice, he said, adding that they want a fair investigation in this regard and want to know who are behind his termination.
Protesting his termination, Sharif’s colleagues formed a human chain in front of the ACC headquarters in the capital and also ACC’s Patuakhalioffice on Thursday afternoon.
Sharif Uddin had previously worked as a deputy assistant director at the agency in Patuakhali. Before that, he was posted in Chattogram for three and a half years.
He was the plaintiff in the ACC cases filed against Election Commission officials over the inclusion of Rohingya people in voter lists and issuing them NID cards last June.
He also came into the limelight after filing cases against the ward councillor of Chattogram City Corporation, union council chairmen in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, and policemen over the issue.
Sharif Uddin probed different complaints against Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company (KGDCL) over illegal gas connection shifting and installing new connections. He filed cases naming higher-ups in the KGDCL and Mujibur Rahman, son of Nurul Islam, the former minister for expatriate welfare and overseas employment on Jun 10 last year.
After filing some sensational cases between Jun 10 to Jun 17, Sharif Uddin was transferred from Chattogram to Patuakhali. That transfer order also became a matter of much discussion.
Sharif Uddin had been transferred as part of regular office policy, the ACC had said at the time. He was fired within eight months from that transfer order.
He had begun probing allegations of corruption at Chattogram Medical College Hospital, an investigation that is yet to be completed.