Editorial
ACC's weakness made public
Saying in public what all knew in private is laudable
IT is a pity that the chief of the anti-graft body, ACC, is beseeching politicians, civil society actors, the media and the youths to fight corruption at the inaugural of the Anti-Corruption Week 2013.
By saying so the man who is supposed to fight corruption is only betraying his helplessness in delivering on his job.
We commend his frank admission, but the question in public mind is what has he been doing so far to combat corruption? On the contrary, has he not been rather subservient and wanting in assertive leadership and thereby failing to exert his moral leadership?
Needless to say, the statutory anti-graft body, the Anti-corruption Commission (AC), was constituted with the sole purpose of staving off corruption.
Though it is a statutory body to home in on corruption wherever it may occur and then control and combat it, the incumbent ACC is yet to deliver according to its mandate.
There is, however, no denying the fact that, in the past (in February 2011, for instance), the government had made an attempt to weaken the ACC through bringing an amendment to the ACC Act 2004. If implemented, it would require the ACC to seek prior permission from the government before instituting corruption cases against any government functionary.
Thankfully, the provision was later withdrawn.
It was expected that then on the ACC would be able to carry out its tasks with full vigour.
As for example, the alleged 'corruption conspiracy' in the Padma Bridge as brought by World Bank, provided the ACC with an opportunity to demonstrate its will to act. But in practice, it miserably failed to live up to its expectations when it gave a clean chit to the prime suspect in the case, a politician in power.
Small wonder it was an obvious anti-climax when in his effort to fight corruption the ACC chairman sought the cooperation of politicians whose track record in corrupt practices is but legend.
The ACC will have to demonstrate its will to act without fear and favour to fulfil the grave responsibility nation has entrusted it with. And once it is able to demonstrate the courage of its conviction, it will gain the moral authority to seek people's cooperation in its mission.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments