We don’t follow govt order: ACC Chief

The tendency of money laundering of the country is increasing alarmingly. Giving emphasize in the matter, steps have been taken against it. Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) is going to launch a new self-contained wing (department) under a Director General (DG) in this connection.

ACC Chairman M Badiuzzaman made the disclosure while giving an exclusive interview to risingbd.com. Our senior reporter M A Rahman talked with him on various important issues.

M Badiuzzaman joined the ACC on June 27, 2013 as the third chairman of the organization. Earlier, he worked in various important posts of The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Ten years have been passed through various limitations and ACB turned into ACC. After getting the charge of ACC, M Badiuzzaman produced many accused before the court including scandals of Hallmark, Destiny and many other influential persons though the organization created debate about some matters including Padma Bridge issue.

risingbd.com: How are you? You are working as a chairman of ACC for last one and a half year.  What do you think about your success?

Badiuzzaman: Well, I am fine. I cannot say that I have succeeded or failed. Media like you can define that. But I am trying my level best. The evaluation result may be seen later.

risingbd.com: Do you have any special plan in 2015? Would you like to share it with us?

Badiuzzaman: The drive against corruption is underway and it will be harder in 2015. Besides, we are giving emphasize on corruption prevention. If we can prevent corruption then, success will come soon. If we can create hatred among people about corruption, then it will be easy to gain the success. That’s whys, we are giving emphasize in this matter.

risingbd.com: General people think that the ACC is working according to the will of the government. Is ACC performing its duty in real sense independently?

Badiuzzaman: This type of concept of people is not correct. According to the ACC-2004 act, it’s an independent and impartial organization. There is no scope of interfere of the government in the duties of ACC. We also don’t follow any directives of the government. No one is interfering in our duties.

risingbd.com: The former chairman Golam Rahman termed ACC as a toothless and clawless tiger. Is the organization still a toothless and clawless tiger?

Badiuzzaman: I don’t think so. That was his personal opinion about ACC. I also don’t support the concept of him. ACC is working as an independent commission.

risingbd.com: Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) reports that the corruption has increased. What’s your opinion?

Badiuzzaman: I do not agree with it. Besides, I am not saying that the corruption has reduced completely. But, I don’t think that corruption has increased than last year. We started our work against high profile corrupted people. We also filed cases against some ruling party men. It cannot be avoided. Even some of them had to serve jail term. We performed better than previous year in this regard and the future will be better.

risingbd.com: So many complains remained in deep fridge. What are the legal steps taken in this regard?

Badiuzzaman: We receive so many complains. After checking all complains we took 5-7 percent cases for investigation. No cases remained piled up. Besides, we got around 10,000 cases due to hereditament from ACB. I hope the investigation of the cases will be ended within next month.

risingbd.com: Criticizing is taken place in various levels that ACC has started discounting corrupted people. Some people termed ACC as a commission for release of liability. What do you think?

Badiuzzaman: I don’t think so. We are not giving any scope to any corrupted people. We got so many complain through media and others sources. Complain doesn’t mean he/she is criminal. Sometimes, so many complains raised against some people but after investigation ACC don’t find any fact. As a result ACC cannot take any legal action. If the accused can reply properly about the allegation against him then ACC cannot file any case against him. And the word ‘commission for release of liability’ is completely a political word.

risingbd.com: What types of steps were taken to increase the manpower and skills of ACC?

Badiuzzaman: The training programme for our staffs is underway. Especially the training will be continued of officers for investigation and inquiry. The training is given by the Justices of the Supreme Court. And the matter of manpower will be mentioned to the government.

risingbd.com: ACC started an investigation to inquiry the mysterious wealth increasing of six contestants of tenth National Parliament Election. But after the investigation three were released. People did not take the matter positively. What is your opinion about the matter?

Badiuzzaman: We started the inquiry in the correct way. ACC released them as no evidence was found against them. I think proper investigation was taken place in that connection.

risingbd.com: A debate arose when ACC acquitted Rajshahi 4 constituency lawmaker Enamul Hauqe from the allegations of attaining illegal wealth. What’s your opinion?

Badiuzzaman: We got the allegations against him and after investigation, ACC found some incompatibility but he was not the owner of the unusual wealth. His company was the owner of those resources. So, we sent the matter to national board of revenue.

risingbd.com: A complaint rose that the government is using ACC to harass opposition party men. What do you think?

Badiuzzaman: It’s not correct that the government is using ACC for the harassment of opposition. No cases were filed against any opposition party men except some cases in last five years rather, several cases were filed against ruling party men including Members of the Parliament, former ministers.

risingbd.com: ACC has found that a huge amount of money laundered from the country. What’s the plan of ACC to return the money back?

Badiuzzaman: We took the matter seriously. ACC is trying to get back the laundered money. Already we succeeded to get back Tk. 21 crore and 55,000. Giving emphasize in the matter, a new wing for money laundering under a Director General (DG) will be launched within two months.

risingbd.com: Is there any limitations of ACC to do work independently and impartially?

Badiuzzaman: No. We have no limitations. ACC is working independently. It’s possible to continue the drive against corruption through the implementation of current act. But I will request the government to take necessary steps so that the money laundering acts implementation process of ACC donot be shifted to other organization.

risingbd.com: The government is saying that they have positive attitude to stop corruption. What do you think?

Badiuzzaman: As far as I can say that the government is not interfering in our works, which means the government wants to stop corruption. The government needs to play more effective role in this regard.

risingbd.com: ACC is born to stop corruption but the staffs of the organization started to involve themselves with corruption. How the organization will play a role to stop corruption?

Badiuzzaman: We are in alert on this regard and will take action if any staffs of ACC gets involved with corruption. Already actions were taken against some staffs.

risingbd.com: We heard that some people influenced the ACC officials to get release from allegation of corruption. What’s your opinion?

Badiuzzaman: Legal actions will be taken if any specific complain raised in this connection.

risingbd.com: Is media an associate or contender to ACC? If associate then why sometimes media is tried to be controlled?

Badiuzzaman: Of course, I think media is a friend of ACC. But, there is some confidential matter of us which, should not come to media. Corrupted people became alert if they got information through media before starting our actions. As a result we became affected. Media should realize it.

risingbd.com: Thank you so much for giving your valuable time to the readers of risingbd.com.

Badiuzzaman: You are also welcome. And thanks to risingbd.com too.

risingbd.com/Jan 20, 2015/MA Rahman/Nasim/Augustin Sujan