A parliamentary body said yesterday it will propose amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act to ensure that the anti-graft body gets administrative and financial powers to carry out its job independently.
The parliamentary standing committee on law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry took this decision at its meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
On February 28, the government placed a bill in parliament for introducing a provision in the ACC Act for prior government permission to file corruption cases against government officials and start trial. If it is passed no court will, without prior government sanction, take cognisance of an offence for trial of a judge or a magistrate or any public servant in corruption cases.
The bill was tabled amid criticisms that it is a move to clip the ACC's wings.
Suranjit Sengupta, chief of the House body, told The Daily Star they are working to bring changes in the bill since it is a very important one. The committee members have expressed the view that the bill should provide for effectively curbing corruption for progress of the country.
Talking to journalists after yesterday's meeting, Suranjit, a ruling Awami League lawmaker, said, committee members asserted that the anti-graft watchdog needs to have an independent administration and financial powers. It should also have the authority and manpower to investigate any corruption-related allegations.
Suranjit said diplomats, donors and other development partners are concerned about the changes proposed in the bill.
On the proposal for increasing different parliamentary committees' powers, Suranjit said the law minister yesterday gave assurance that he would look into some relevant laws in other countries, and then place the proposal before the cabinet.
Facing opposition from most of the ministers, the cabinet on May 30 rejected the proposal. And it sparked sharp criticism by a number of AL lawmakers.
Source : The Daily Star
