The newly appointed chairman of Anti-Corruption Commission, Mohammad Abdul Momen, on Wednesday said that the commission would start investigation into the allegations against ‘big fishes’ soon.
‘Working as per public expectations is top priority. We will take action immediately about those cases of corruption which affected the country significantly and take action against culprits who were behind the corruption,’ he said.
Momen came up with the remarks while talking to journalists at ACC headquarters in the capital’s Segun Bagicha after taking charge as chairman of the commission.
Earlier on the day, the Transparency International Bangladesh, in a statement, urged the new ACC chairman and commissioners to voluntarily disclose their income and asset statements to ensure accountability and transparency.
In this regard, the ACC chief said that the commission’s chairman and commissioners would submit information on all their movable and immovable assets within seven days.
Momen also told journalists that the new commission will not be influenced by any political ideology or bias. ‘We will be neutral, adhering to the law,’ he added.
About his priority works, he said, ‘We will start working first on the issues expected by the people and the big corruptions that affected the state.’ ‘So that those who were involved in all this big corruption do not get a release,’ he added.
When asked about a graft allegation against Momen while he was posted at Biman Bangladesh Airlines, he said it was true that a graft allegation came to ACC against me in 2009 but I was cleared of the charges after completion of probe in 2023.
Abdul Momen and another commissioner Mia Mohammad Ali Akbar Azizi joined ACC on Wednesday but another commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Hafiz Ahsan Farid did not join on the day.
TIB, in a media statement on Wednesday, emphasised the importance of maintaining public trust in this key institution and called for proactive measures to promote integrity.
TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman said that at this crucial moment, the leadership of the ACC should take the initiative to promote transparency and accountability within the institution.
He urged the ACC’s top officials to disclose details regarding their income and assets, either in their own name or family members’ names, whether declared or undeclared.
The TIB also called for the disclosure of data demonstrating consistency between income from legitimate sources and accumulated wealth.
TIB suggested for full disclosure of any direct or indirect political affiliations and a formal declaration of readiness to voluntarily resign and undergo legal investigation in case of any discrepancies in their asset declarations.
The government on Tuesday appointed senior secretary of the Public Security Division of home ministry Mohammad Abdul Momen as ACC chairman and other two commissioners.
