ACC warns of legal action if health workers asked to vacate homes

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will investigate house owners' sources of income if they ask doctors, nurses and health workers to vacate their homes, warned the anti-graft body's Chairman Iqbal Mahmood.

He made the remark while speaking to media on Thursday, said ACC spokesperson Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya.

Adding that the doctors, nurses and other health workers are serving the nation during the Covid-19 pandemic, Iqbal said, "If a homeowner tells a person involved in healthcare to vacate their home or forces them to leave, the ACC will look into the source of income used for building the houses as per the law."

The ACC boss warned that if they find any evidence of illegal wealth, they will take legal action.

He further said, "Bad treatment or disrespect towards them [healthcare workers] is legally a crime. As far as I can remember, according to the existing Infectious Disease (Prevention, Control and Elimination) Act, 2018, such behavior is a punishable offence."

The chairman reminded everyone that if any person violates this law, then the law enforcement agencies will take disciplinary action against them.

Iqbal Mahmood further said the ACC will take stern action against embezzlement of relief for the poor people. After investigating the case against any embezzler, charge sheet will be filed as soon as possible. 

He added, "All divisional offices and 22 integrated district offices of the commission are working as watchdogs on social security programmes provided by the government. The ACC will not tolerate corruption of any kind.

"As I said before, there is no opportunity to enjoy unearned income, as per the Constitution of Bangladesh."

In the last week, the ACC filed four cases in Bogura, Nawabganj of Dhaka and Singair of Manikganj. The anti-graft body also arrested three OMS [open market sale] dealers and one union parishad member.