The public hearing becomes an effective tool to ensure transparency and accountability in the public offices as the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) disposed of 1,030 complaints, out of 1,218, through this system in the last year (2017).
"We have started holding public hearings as a new approach to ensure transparency and accountability in the performances of the government offices and develop a bridge between the local administration and the people," ACC Commissioner (enquiry) Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed told media on Thursday.
"Negligence and corruption of some unscrupulous government officials have been barring people from getting proper services. The ACC will not hesitate to take actions if they do not change their mindset in the days to come," he said.
The commission is holding public hearings as a key instrument to prevent harassment, irregularities and corruption, he added.
"ACC has held 15 public hearings this year, 40 in 2017, 30 in 2016 while the number was only five in 2015 and one in 2014. The Commission has increased holding the public hearing considering its huge response and outcome" said ACC Deputy Director (public relations) Pranab Kumar Bhattacharjee.
"The commission has disposed of 1,030 complaints out of 1,218 during the public hearings (in 2017)," he said, adding that ACC has a plan to hold at least three public hearings in a month in future.
ACC has initiated the new approach to fight corruption in December 2014. The first public hearing was held at Muktagachha in Mymensingh with huge participation of the local people that inspired the anti-graft body to continue the initiative.
Due to the participation of the commoners alongside the concerned officials, the public hearing system has become an effective weapon in curbing corruption in the public sector.
Since then, some 91 public hearings have been held so far in different districts till this year. The ACC is currently holding public hearings with technical support of the World Bank, GIZ, JICA and TIB. The commission itself is financing the hearings.
The anti-graft watchdog has held 40 public hearings in the last year against 1,218 complaints, of which 1,030 were disposed of, reports BSS.
The public hearings were held at Chittagong WASA, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Chittagong PDB, in all the government offices in 31 upazilas, including upazila land office, settlement office, sub-registrar office, Rural Electrification Society, Upazila Health and family office, Upazila Project Implementation Office, Upazila Cooperative and Social Welfare Office, Upazila Department of Local Government, Upazila Department of Public Health and Engineering, Upazila Department of Agricultural Extension and Bangladesh Rural Development Board.
