The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) cannot work independently against influential corrupt people, says executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Dr Ifekharuzzman, reports UNB.

"This cannot be said the ACC is working against influential suspects independently, particularly those who are involved in banking sector's scams," he told a press briefing at the TIB head office here on Sunday.

The TIB chief said the national anti-graft agency must take steps against influential suspects and prove that it is conducting probes into the allegations of influential people independently. The ACC has legal instruments and  power to act independently, he said, but it fails to do so for lack a strong and visionary leadership. Replying to a question about internal corruption of the ACC, Iftekhar said officials of the then Bureau of Anti-Corruption were involved in corruption and later, removing the bureau, the ACC was formed as per the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 aiming to make it free from corruption.

 "But, the Bureau officials were included in the Commission and that's why the problem still remains there in the Commission...we

often get direct or indirect allegations that the ACC officials are involved in corruption as well," he said.

Therefore, he said, it cannot be said right now that the ACC is a clean agency. But, the Commission is working to make it a clean one as it is taking actions against its officials getting involved in graft.