Terming the government鈥檚 attempt to appoint an officer accused of graft in the ACC unacceptable, the Transparency International Bangladesh on Wednesday raised a question whether efforts were being made to make it ineffective from within the government.
In a press release, the TIB said that the move raised concerns about whether the government was attempting to shield corruption and render the ACC ineffective.
Citing media reports, TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman said that the appointment of Amin Al Parvez, a government official accused in a corruption case related to land acquisition in Cox鈥檚 Bazar, has been cancelled.
鈥榃e want to commend the ACC鈥檚 decision to cancel the appointment of the accused officer,鈥� he said.
He said, 鈥楾he most pressing question is on what grounds was an officer accused of corruption appointed to the ACC on deputation? This decision comes at a time when the ACC reform commission has explicitly recommended identifying corrupt officers and employees within the ACC, dismissing them through departmental measures, and prosecuting them.鈥�
Appointing an official facing corruption allegations 鈥� directly contradicting this recommendation 鈥� raises serious concerns. What message does this send? Given the current circumstances, it鈥檚 not unreasonable to believe that, rather than strengthening the ACC in the fight against corruption, efforts are being made to render it ineffective from within the government, he said.
鈥業n reality, this suggests a conspiracy within the administration to protect corruption. The government鈥檚 decision to appoint an accused officer to the ACC is not only unacceptable but also deeply alarming.鈥�
Citing media reports, the TIB said that a case was filed against Amin Al Parvez in 2020 for embezzling Tk 22.28 crore from the Police Bureau of Investigation building construction and land acquisition project in Cox鈥檚 Bazar.
鈥楢t the time, he was serving as the additional deputy commissioner for education and ICT in the Cox鈥檚 Bazar district administration.鈥�
An ACC report later revealed that Amin Al Parvez had unlawfully benefited himself and others through fraud and abuse of power, it said.
鈥楬owever, we urge the commission to treat this incident as a lesson and remain vigilant in all future appointments and promotions, particularly those made on deputation, ensuring that it remains free from undue influence. At the same time, the government鈥攅specially the bureaucracy鈥攎ust refrain from undermining ACC reformation goals through such untoward actions,鈥� said Iftekharuzzaman.
鈥業t is crucial to remember that the interim government鈥檚 duty is to set a precedent for accountability, not to tarnish its own credibility by shielding corruption or rewarding those implicated in it. Otherwise, how is this any different from the kleptocracy seen under authoritarian rule?鈥�