The year started with the release of Jahlam's liability. The ACC then came to a positive discussion by dismissing and arresting corrupt ACC officials, including the widely discussed pillows, screens and casino scandals. On the other hand, the government's cleansing raids have turned the ACC into action. As the activities have increased, there has been a change in the ACC's capabilities and practices. At the end of the year, the anti-corruption body has sparked serious discussion by seizing illegal money from the corrupt.
Innocent Jahalam arrests and imprisonment
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed three cases against one named Abu Salek for allegedly embezzling Tk 18.5 crore from Sonali Bank. Later, on the charge sheet, one innocent Jahalam was arrested as Salek.
At a preliminary inquiry, Jahalam told ACC that he was not Abu Salek. He has no account with Sonali Bank. The picture that Abu Salek used to open a bank account is not his. But the officials of various banks present in the ACC identified Jahalam as 'Abu Salek' during the investigation. After the charge sheet of the case, an arrest warrant was issued from the court against Jahalam. Later, on the ACC arrested Jahalam from Ghorshal Jute mill in 2016 where he was a worker.
Jahalam's elder brother, Shahanur Mia, reached the National Human Rights Commission in the 2018. Later, the Human Rights Commission's investigation came out that Abu Salek and Jahalam were not same person. When a report was published in a national daily, a lawyer brought it to the attention of the High Court. In February, a dual bench of justices FRM Nazmul Ahsan and KM KM Kamrul Quader ordered Jahlum acquitted from the charges min February of that year. .
Corrupt ACC director arrested
ACC filed a case against the controversial DIG of Police Mizanur Rahman on July 7 this year, including the director of the ACC, Enamul Basir, in connection with a bribe of Rs 40 lakh. In the forensic examination, they were sued after receiving audio evidence of their conversation about bribery transactions. The dismissed police officer Mizan was arrested earlier but the ACC man Basir was arrested on July 23.
ACC case in his office
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been able to file cases in 22 consolidated offices from June 25 this year through the amended rules of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act. Ever since the amended rules gazette, the functionality of the old rules have been stalled. Under the new rules, any allegations of corruption are being filed at the department’s own office.
Casino scandal
The ACC has started work on a new dimension after the government announced its cleansing campaign. So far, ACC has made a long list of 105 people at the casino. Through this list, interrogations, cases and arrests continued. Meanwhile, several Dhaka city corporation commissioners, controversial contractors, officials of various clubs and government organizations, who were involved in the casino cases, filed a case after questioning the ruling party leaders and sent them to court. The ACC has booked the controversial contractor GK Shamim, close associate of Jubo League leader Khalid’s close associate Arman and BCB director Lokman Bhuiyan to the court after the case was handed over to the court. There are many others, including the ‘Samrat’.
Ruppur pillow episode
The ACC has so far filed 4 cases in the corruption of the Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant project, alleging siphoning looting of Taka 31 crore. The four engineers, including Masudul Alam, a former executive engineer of the Pabna Public Works Department, have been arrested in these four cases. On December 12, the ACC arrested two engineers and two contractors from different areas of Pabna and the capital. Earlier, the ACC had questioned 29 engineers of PWD and arrested 13 of them.
Four cases were filed in Pabna in connection with the pillow case. According to the complaint, the cost of a pillow was shown at Taka. 6700/- for a residential project of Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant. In the same way, extraordinary costs of different materials of the project including televisions, beds, refrigerators were shown.
The screening of Faridpur Medical College Hospital!
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against Faridpur Medical College Hospital for trying to misappropriate Taka 10 crore of the government through purchasing hospital equipment at abnormal high costs. Mamunur Rashid Chowdhury, Assistant Director of the headquarters of ACC filed a case at the Faridpur Integrated District Office of the ACC on November 27 this year. A total of six accused, including contractors and doctors, were charged in the case.
DIG Partho episode
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) on July 27 arrested DIG (Prison) Partho Gopal Banik of Sylhet Central Jail along with Taka 80 lakh bribe money. Partha Gopal was immediately arrested after recovering the cash from pillow cover and shelves in various rooms of his flat.
DIG Prisons Bazlur Rashid arrested
Bazlur Rashid, DIG of Prison directorate, was summoned to the ACC office as part of an inquiry into the allegations of corruption on October 20. After the interrogation, some specific allegations of corruption were filed by the ACC after the initial case was filed, showing him the arrest.
Taka 524 crore illegally earned money was recovered from the corrupts
Last December Taka 524 crore illegal money earned by the corrupt was confiscated
Addressing a conference titled United Convention Against Corruption in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, on December 17, Chairman of ACC Iqbal Mahmud, while speaking on behalf of Bangladesh, said that the properties worth about Taka 524 crore 11 lakh were confiscated in various corruption cases.
Also in Bangladesh, from January to October this year, the ACC confiscated $ 2.92 million worth of money through the seizure of 25 bank accounts, various beneficiaries' bonds, securities and insurance policies. At the same time, $ 0.55 million lying with the accounts of five foreign banks were also seized. In addition, 12.44 acres of land, 10 houses of different types, 4 luxury apartments, two commercial establishments and five luxury cars were seized.
Increased rate of punishment
The Commission claimed the conviction rate has increased by 44 percent in less than ten years in the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) case. Iqbal Mahmood, the head of the organization, said that now it is trying to prevent corruption before it even happens. In 2011 the conviction rate in ACC’s case was 20 percent which has reached to 64 percent in 2019.
Talking to ACC officials, it is reported that the ACC will be busy with some more new jobs next year, with additional work this year. The new list of corrupt people will increase, the number of cases for money laundering, conversion and trafficking will increase.