The national anti-graft watchdog chief has said that his officers' profound lack of skill and dedication in investigation and prosecution made him disappointed.
ACC (Anti-Corruption Commission) Chairman Iqbal Mahmud expressed his disappointment on Thursday at an opinion sharing meeting at the ACC head office. The ACC and German Development Organisation (GIZ) jointly organised the programme.
Mentioning the main purpose of all the activities of the Commission is to achieve the confidence of the people, he said that some positive activities had been implemented in 2017 such as armed police units, custodial cell, hotline106, formation of detective unit.
But, he added, that in terms of quizzing the accused, probing the complaints, and also in proper investigation and prosecution - there existed profound lack of skill and dedication among the ACC officers, "which have made us disappointed."
He asked the officers "If the officials of the ACC are working on the desired level, how come the accused in the cases of the ACC dare to roam freely? Why they are not brought under the law?"
Warning the officials, he said "We have all infrastructures such as the cars, armed police, all are involved in the operation, but the accused are roaming around due to lack of initiative. Who will be responsible for this? Of course the officials will have to take the responsibility. Everyone should remember that the Commission will not show any leniency in the next year."
Pointing to the head of the ACC's intelligence wing, the Chairman said, "A special surveillance team will be formed to carry out intensive intelligence activities inside and outside the government and non-government organisations. Only the chairman will know who will be the member of the Commission as chief executive of the commission while the team will report to the chief executive of this surveillance team of the commission. Strict action will be taken against those corrupt officials whose name will be reported."
According to UNB, the Director Generals of the six ACC departments presented the details of the activities implemented in accordance with the plan of 2017 and the possible strategies for the year 2018.