The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched an assertive campaign against corruption, swiftly investigating allegations, initiating legal action, and apprehending individuals implicated in graft, including influential politicians, senior bureaucrats, and business tycoons.
ACC’s enforcement teams have been conducting daily surprise inspections at government, semi-government, and service-oriented institutions to curb systemic irregularities and harassment of service seekers.
Reports indicate that four to five raids are carried out each day in various regions, including the capital.
Additionally, after nearly two years of dormancy, the ACC has resumed its sting operations to catch individuals red-handed in bribery transactions.
To further tighten its grip on corruption, the commission has taken decisive measures to freeze and seize illicit assets, alongside imposing travel bans on suspects.
In a bid to engage the public and enhance transparency, the ACC is also set to conduct a series of public hearings across the country.
Scheduled from 29 January to 11 May, these hearings aim to amplify accountability and deter corrupt practices.
This reinvigorated approach has reportedly instilled apprehension among corrupt individuals, marking a stark contrast to the commission’s sluggish operations in recent years.
The heightened activities follow the restructuring of the ACC under the leadership of Dr Mohammad Abdul Momen on 10 December.
Since assuming office, the new commission has adopted a robust stance against corruption, leveraging existing legal frameworks to expedite investigations and prosecutions.
ACC spokesperson and Director General (Prevention) Akhtar Hossain noted that complaints have surged following the change in government.
“Since the transition, we have received an influx of allegations via written submissions, emails, and hotline 106. The media’s heightened focus on corruption-related news has also contributed to this surge. Based on these reports, legal actions are being pursued rigorously,” he said.
He further asserted that ACC officials are executing their duties with utmost integrity, dedication, and diligence, naturally escalating the commission’s workload.
Established in 2004 following the dissolution of the Bureau of Anti-Corruption, the ACC’s early years were marred by inefficacy.
The first chairman, Justice Sultan Hossain Khan, failed to make any substantial impact.
A significant shift occurred after the 2007 military-backed interim government restructured the commission under former army chief Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury.
The reconstituted ACC swiftly pursued over 200 corruption cases, leading to arrests and prosecutions of high-profile politicians, ministers, and bureaucrats.
However, after the Awami League-led Grand Alliance assumed power through the 2009 elections, Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury was compelled to resign, making way for a new commission under former bureaucrat Golam Rahman.
His tenure was marked by complaints of institutional weakness, with Rahman himself conceding that the ACC had become a "toothless tiger" due to legal and procedural constraints.
Nonetheless, his administration aggressively pursued bribery stings and arrests.
The successive commissions led by Badiuzzaman and later Iqbal Mahmud maintained this momentum, but the agency saw a noticeable decline in activity during the tenure of the outgoing chairman, Moinuddin Abdullah.
Political Upheaval and Renewed ACC Vigor
The ACC’s re-energised stance coincides with the political upheaval of 5 August last year, when the Awami League government was ousted following mass protests.
Amidst allegations of systemic corruption during the previous regime, the ACC appears to be acting with renewed urgency, potentially to align itself with the new administration.
Official statistics reveal that between 15 August and 29 October last year—spanning the final months of Moinuddin Abdullah’s tenure—the ACC authorised 505 investigations based on 3,705 complaints received post-regime change.
However, during this period, enforcement activities, sting operations, and public hearings remained largely inactive.
The scenario shifted dramatically following the appointment of Dr Momen’s commission on 11 December.
Since then, the ACC has ramped up its legal proceedings, initiated over 300 fresh investigations, filed an equal number of cases, and imposed asset freezes and travel bans on individuals implicated in corruption.
Simultaneously, intensified surprise inspections have been conducted across various government and semi-government institutions to root out malpractice and bureaucratic irregularities.
Enforcement Operations and Upcoming Public Hearings
In just the past six weeks, ACC enforcement teams have conducted at least 90 raids across the country.
Notably, three individuals have been caught red-handed in bribery transactions and subsequently arrested. Furthermore, the commission has announced a series of public hearings, beginning on 29 January in Munshiganj, with subsequent sessions scheduled for 26 February in Cumilla, 27 and 29 April in Sunamganj and Moulvibazar, and 11 May in Khagrachhari.
These hearings aim to provide a platform for citizens to voice grievances against corruption in the presence of government officials.
With its renewed vigour and aggressive anti-graft measures, the ACC’s trajectory in the coming months will be closely watched, as it seeks to regain public trust and establish itself as a formidable force against corruption in Bangladesh.
