Caseload soars at ACC as officials grapple with high-profile cases

Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on 5 August 2024, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been grappling with a deluge of cases, having launched investigations into over 300 high-profile figures, including former ministers, MPs, businessmen, and bureaucrats by March 2025.

The rate of case disposals sharply declined over the period, with around 9,000 cases remaining pending, according to ACC officials.

Between August and March, the commission initiated 525 inquiries and filed 297 cases. However, only five cases were concluded during the period, representing a drastic decline compared to the 223 cases concluded in the first six months of 2024 and the 663 cases in the preceding year.

The officials attribute the bottleneck mainly to the fact that a single officer has to handle investigations or inquiries into four to five cases simultaneously.

"One officer is simultaneously investigating four to five cases, and each of them is significant," an ACC deputy director, who wished to remain anonymous, told TBS. "This makes it difficult to maintain focus. We have to switch between different cases, which significantly prolongs the time needed for completion."

The deputy director further explained the complexity of investigating high-profile individuals: "Investigations into the corruption of influential businessmen like S Alam, Salman F Rahman, and other large industrial groups or former ministers are lengthy processes. Their assets are vast, and many have laundered money abroad in their own names or those of their families, accumulating immense wealth. Therefore, it's natural for these investigations to take longer."

As per commission rules, an officer is allotted a maximum of 75 days to complete an inquiry and 270 days for an investigation. However, most of the pending inquiries and investigations have already surpassed these deadlines, raising concerns about timely case resolution and the quality of the probes. Officials fear that rushing investigations to meet deadlines could compromise their quality.

Since August, the ACC has been receiving an average of 1,500-2,000 complaints monthly, with only a small fraction being taken up for investigation. Despite this selectivity, the commission is struggling to manage the workload, say the officials.

Following the fall of the AL government, the ACC initiated probes into former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's family and influential figures from her administration. Cases were filed against Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and other family members. Nearly 300 influential individuals, including Hasina's advisers, former ministers, MPs, bureaucrats, businessmen, and police officials, face charges ranging from acquiring wealth beyond known sources of income, money laundering abroad, embezzlement, and forgery.

Beyond inquiries and cases, the ACC also froze assets belonging to controversial business groups like S Alam and Beximco, as well as several influential individuals. Notable individuals include former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former law minister Anisul Huq, former textiles and jute minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, former commerce minister Tipu Munshi, former local government minister Tajul Islam, former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu, former fisheries and livestock minister SM Rezaul Karim and former Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor SK Sur. 

Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) and chief of the ACC Reform Commission, acknowledged the immense pressure on ACC officials. "Undoubtedly, ACC officials who are performing well are under significant work pressure now. This is because most of the corruption cases against those under investigation or prosecution after the fall of the AL government involve substantial amounts," he told TBS. 

He cautioned about the potential risk to the quality of investigations due to the increased workload, stating that "doing more work in less time might lead to gaps." Iftekharuzzaman stressed the need for regular monitoring by the commission.

However, ACC Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain maintained a more optimistic view, stating to TBS, "With the manpower we have, we are working smoothly. We are taking action against those facing corruption allegations. Ensuring quality is our top priority in this regard."