ACC Chairman Momen, two commissioners resign
They have taken the decision in the public interest and in respect of the expectations of the newly elected government, says Mohammad Abdul Momen.
Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen as well as ACC commissioners Mia Mohammad Ali Akbar Azizi and Brig Gen (retd) Hafiz Ahsan Farid submitted their resignations to the Cabinet secretary today (3 March).
"We have formally submitted our resignation letters," Momen told journalists at the ACC headquarters later.
Stating that there was no specific reason behind the resignation, Momen said they had taken the decision in the public interest and in respect of the expectations of the newly elected government.
"A newly elected government has certain expectations, and to fulfil those expectations the government may appoint a more competent commission than us. I believe this will be good for the ACC as well as beneficial for the state."
Responding to journalists' questions about whether the ACC had sufficient "teeth" and about its past activities, the chairman said it was for the people to judge how effective the commission had been during its tenure.
He added that every government had a mandate or manifesto and takes decisions accordingly.
Earlier, at around 2:45pm today (3 March), Momen and the two commissioners held a meeting with Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani at the Secretariat.
Azizi later told journalists, "I have resigned citing personal reasons. I have given the government one month's notice."
Under the ACC Act, the commission's chairman may resign at any time on personal grounds.
In such cases, a written resignation letter addressed to the president must be submitted through the Cabinet Division at least one month in advance.
Typically, such letters are forwarded through the Cabinet secretary or the ACC secretary and become effective upon the president's approval.
Momen was appointed ACC chairman on 10 December 2024 for a five-year term. Earlier, he had also served as secretary of the Public Security Division under the Ministry of Home Affairs during the interim government.
Under the same notification, Azizi and Brigadier General (retd) Hafiz Ahsan Farid were appointed as commissioners.
Azizi assumed office on 11 December and Farid on 15 December.
