Govt officials increasingly coming under ACC scanner

Government officials are increasingly coming under the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) scanner amid a latest drive to come to grips with graft in state-owned service-providing entities, officials said.

As part of the commission's move, it has already assigned teams that deal with institutional corruption to some of the key public offices people regularly visit in large numbers to seek service, according to them.

The watchdog ran in a total of 312 graft suspects over the last seven months since March. Of the arrests, 140 were in-service government officials and employees while 50 others retired.

When contacted, ACC secretary Abu Md. Mustafa Kamal said five teams of the unit that deals with institutional corruption were assigned to offices like Rajuk, Roads and Highways Department, departments of health, education and education engineering only to prevent misuse of funds.