ACC chairman wants armed unit to conduct anti-graft drives

Chairman of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Iqbal Mahmood yesterday stressed the need for setting up an armed unit in the Commission that will conduct drives to arrest graft suspects, reports UNB. “To detain graft suspects and ensure the safety of its investigation officers, the Commission now needs an armed unit. So, it is scrutinising its act and rules in this regard,” he told a views-exchange meeting at NEC auditorium in the capital.
The national anti-graft agency arranged the meeting with its development partners to discuss its draft strategic work plan 2016-17. Mahmood said the relations between the government and the ACC should be strengthened by appointing focal points in government offices as per the national integrity strategy as the government wants to check corruption. “We want to see the focal points act as watchdogs to bring transparency and accountability at different ministries, public offices, and different projects and prorammes,” he added.
The ACC chief said the Commission is now considering involving its officials in mega projects of the government so that it can make the government alert of taking proper steps if any corruption or irregularity takes place in these projects.
He said corruption eats up about 2-3 percent of the country’s total GDP each year while general people are being victims in availing themselves of services from government agencies. “The ACC wants to prepare an anti-corruption roadmap to get rid of corruption by announcing its strategic work plan.” So, Mahmood said, the Commission will announce short-, medium- and long-term plans to prevent and combat corruption in the country. ACC commissioners Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed and AFM Aminul Islam, its secretary Abu M Mustafa Kamal and director general Dr Shamsul Arefin, among others, spoke at the meeting. Representatives from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), GIZ, Australian High Commission and International Labour Organization (ILO) were present at the meeting.

ACC chairman wants armed unit to conduct anti-graft drives

Chairman of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Iqbal Mahmood yesterday stressed the need for setting up an armed unit in the Commission that will conduct drives to arrest graft suspects, reports UNB. To detain graft suspects and ensure the safety of its investigation officers, the Commission now needs an armed unit. So, it is scrutinising its act and rules in this regard, he told a views-exchange meeting at NEC auditorium in the capital. The national anti-graft agency arranged the meeting with its development partners to discuss its draft strategic work plan 2016-17. Mahmood said the relations between the government and the ACC should be strengthened by appointing focal points in government offices as per the national integrity strategy as the government wants to check corruption. We want to see the focal points act as watchdogs to bring transparency and accountability at different ministries, public offices, and different projects and prorammes, he added. The ACC chief said the Commission is now considering involving its officials in mega projects of the government so that it can make the government alert of taking proper steps if any corruption or irregularity takes place in these projects. He said corruption eats up about 2-3 percent of the countrys total GDP each year while general people are being victims in availing themselves of services from government agencies. The ACC wants to prepare an anti-corruption roadmap to get rid of corruption by announcing its strategic work plan. So, Mahmood said, the Commission will announce short-, medium- and long-term plans to prevent and combat corruption in the country. ACC commissioners Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed and AFM Aminul Islam, its secretary Abu M Mustafa Kamal and director general Dr Shamsul Arefin, among others, spoke at the meeting. Representatives from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), GIZ, Australian High Commission and International Labour Organization (ILO) were present at the meeting.