ACC reconstitution delayed, major cases stall for over 3 months
More than three months after the resignation of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) chairman and commissioners, the process of appointing a new commission remains stalled, raising concerns over growing corruption and a mounting backlog of cases.
Experts say the delay in reconstituting the ACC has created a leadership vacuum that is hampering the country’s anti-corruption efforts. Since its establishment in 2004, the ACC has faced criticism over its effectiveness and independence, but it has never remained without a commission for such a prolonged period.
The absence of a functioning commission has reportedly brought investigations and charge-sheet approvals in several high-profile corruption cases to a standstill. These include cases involving former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Tulip Siddiq and several major business groups, including Bashundhara, S Alam and Summit.
According to ACC officials, no new cases, charge sheets or Mutual Legal Assistance Requests (MLARs) have been approved since March 3. The commission has also been unable to seek travel bans on suspects, freeze assets, attach properties or strengthen intelligence operations due to the absence of commissioners authorised to approve such actions.
ACC data show that 11,753 corruption-related cases are currently pending before courts across the country. Of these, 6,461 cases are pending before trial courts, 4,095 before the High Court Division and 745 before the Appellate Division. Another 419 cases remain stayed by High Court orders.
The cases involve allegations of illicit wealth accumulation, tax evasion, bribery, embezzlement of public funds, procurement irregularities and money laundering. Politicians, businesspeople, serving and former government officials, and their family members are among the accused.
Retired Appellate Division judge Justice Mir Hashmat Ali told The New Nation that the prolonged delay in forming a new ACC could have serious consequences.
“If the formation of the Anti-Corruption Commission is delayed further, corruption will increase and the country’s economic structure may suffer,” he said.
He added that the lack of leadership had stalled the progress of investigations and pending cases, describing the delay of more than three months as “very unfortunate for the state”.
The Cabinet Division has initiated steps to form a search committee under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, to recommend candidates for the new commission.
Under the law, the five-member search committee is to comprise a judge from the Appellate Division, a judge from the High Court Division, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the immediate past Cabinet Secretary and the Chairman of the Public Service Commission.
Sources said the Cabinet Division wrote to the Supreme Court on May 24, seeking nominations of one judge each from the Appellate and High Court divisions. However, the nominations have yet to be received.
Asked about the progress, Cabinet Division Public Relations Officer Molla Ahmad Kutubuddin said he had no information regarding the matter.
The ACC has also prepared a draft amendment to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act aimed at expanding the agency’s powers and strengthening its operational framework.
The proposed amendments would allow the commission to conduct undercover inquiries, freeze bank transactions and seize assets. The draft also seeks to bring offences such as fraud, forgery, money laundering and stock market manipulation under the ACC’s jurisdiction.
According to ACC sources, the draft law is in the final stages of review and may be placed before Parliament after completion of the required procedures.
The current leadership vacuum began after the ACC chairman and two commissioners resigned on March 3, leaving the country’s principal anti-graft body without a full commission.
