ACC hosts 100 public hearings

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DHAKA, Aug 9, 2018 (BSS) – The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has
arranged 100 public hearings across the country on the services of government
offices aiming to ensure transparency and accountability and check corruption
in the offices.

On December 28 in 2014, the national anti-graft agency initiated the new
approach to fight corruption in the country and now made centaury by holding
the latest public hearing at Boalmari in Faridpur district on Wednesday
(August 8).

The first public hearing was held at Muktagachha in Mymensingh with huge
participation of local people that inspired the ACC to continue the
initiative, according to ACC officials.

The anti-graft watchdog is currently holding public hearings with
technical support from the World Bank, GIZ, JICA and Transparency
International Bangladesh (TIB).

Nowadays, the public hearing becomes an effective tool to ensure
transparency and accountability in the public offices as the ACC disposed of
around 1,500 complaints through hearings in 2017.

Speaking at the last public hearing at Boalmari Upazila Auditorium in
Faridpur, ACC Commissioner Dr Md Mozammel Haque Khan said: “The ACC has been
working relentlessly to stop corruption as it is a key impediment (to
development). We are committed ensuring corruption- and hassle-free public
services by holding public hearing on regular basis”.

He asked government officials to work sincerely and perform their duty
maintaining professionalism.

A total of 37 complaints were placed at the hearing on Wednesday and the
ACC directed the authorities concerned to settle those as soon as possible.

“We have started holding public hearing as a new approach to ensure
transparency and accountability in the government offices, and bridge gaps
between the local administration and the people,” Mozammel said.

“The ACC held 21 public hearings this year while 40 in 2017, 30 in 2016,
five in 2015 and one in 2014,” he said.

“The Commission has increased the number of public hearing after getting a
huge response from people and its positive outcomes” said ACC deputy director
(public relations) Pranab Kumar Bhattacharjee.

He said the Commission settled around 1,500 complaints during the public
hearings in 2017.

Due to the participation of the complainants alongside the officials
concerned, the public hearing system has become an effective tool in curbing
graft in public sector.

The public hearings were mainly held on the services of different
government offices, including land offices, WASA, upazila and district level
public offices, primary and secondary educational offices, city corporations,
Palli Bidyut offices, Rajuk, hospitals, settlement office, sub-registrar’s
offices, Rural Electrification Society, upazila health and family offices,
the Department of Public Health and Engineering, the Department of
Agricultural Extension and Bangladesh Rural Development Board.