Proposed amendments to weaken the ACC
Speakers tell Sujon roundtable in Sylhet
Eminent lawyer Dr Shahdeen Malik addresses a roundtable titled "Proposed Amendment to the ACC Act and People's Concern" at the conference room of Sylhet City Corporation on Saturday. Sujon, an organisation working for good governance, arranged the programme. Photo: STAR
The proposed amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act will weaken the anti-graft watchdog, said speakers at a roundtable in Sylhet yesterday. The move to amend the ACC Act shows that the government does not have trust in an independent watchdog monitoring its activities, they said at the roundtable titled 'Proposed amendment to ACC Act and people's concern'. Against the backdrop of the government's move for bringing amendments to the ACC law, Sylhet chapter of Sujon, an organisation working for good governance, arranged the roundtable at the conference room of Sylhet City Corporation on Saturday evening. Speaking as the chief guest, executive member of Sujon central committee Dr Shahdeen Malik said it is evident from the proposed provisions, especially the one that requires the ACC to take permission from the government prior to filing cases against the government officials, that the administration does not want to make the ACC independent and effective. Any amendment to the ACC Act contradicting the constitution will not sustain before the High Court, said Shahdeen Malik, an eminent lawyer. The provision for prior permission before filing cases against government officials would mean providing a kind of immunity, a kind of indemnity, for a section of people, he said. "If passed, such a discriminatory law will not win in the legal battle before the High Court, as our constitution ensures equity for all before law," he added. Opposing the provision of making the ACC accountable to the president, other speakers suggested forming an all-party parliamentary committee or a supreme judicial council to ensure accountability of the anti-corruption watchdog. They proposed strengthening the capacity of the ACC, ensuring effective judiciary, decentralising power, raising public awareness and ensuring accountability of the ACC staffs to effectively combat corruption. President of the Sylhet chapter of Sujon Faruk Mahmud Chowdhury moderated the event while BLAST regional coordinator Irfanuzzaman Chowdhury, educationist Prof Khondaker Mahmudur Rahman, NAP district unit President Syed Abdul Hannan, district JSD General Secretary Lokman Ahmed, senior lawyer Syed Ashraf Hossain spoke, among others.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments