8,623 complaints filed post-Aug 5

The Anti-Corruption Commission has ramped up its activities following the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 last year. The commission has completed investigations and filed cases against Hasina and several senior Awami League leaders after their removal in a mass uprising.

According to the ACC's upcoming annual report, set to be submitted to the president, the commission received 15,842 complaints in 2024, with 8,623 filed after the change in power -- more than half of the year's total. Of these, 1,361 were approved for investigation, while 1,894 complaints were taken up for probe throughout the year. 

ACC received 15,842 complaints in 2024, with 8,623 filed after the change in power -- more than half of the year's total. Of these, 1,361 were approved for investigation, while 1,894 were taken up for probe.

The report details the sources of complaints, with 9,505 directly submitted in writing to the ACC headquarters, 1,584 from divisional offices, 1,108 based on newspaper and TV reports, 792 from government agencies, 399 from private organisations, 393 via the ACC hotline or enforcement unit, and 2,061 through alternative channels, including courts, emails, and social media.

Of the total complaints, 12,936 were officially registered, while 1,012 were forwarded to relevant ministries and departments for further action. 

The scale of complaints post-August 5 is significant -- 1,361 cases were approved for investigation, and 895 were forwarded to government agencies. However, 6,767 complaints were deemed outside the ACC's jurisdiction or lacked sufficient evidence for further action. 

In 2023, the ACC received 15,437 complaints but investigated only 845 -- just 5.47 percent.

In 2022, 19,338 complaints were lodged, including 2,707 through courts, emails, and social media. However, only 901 cases were approved for investigation, with 3,152 forwarded to ministries for action. 

Md Akhtar Hossain, director general (prevention) of the ACC, said, "We have taken into account all complaints that fall within our jurisdiction, regardless of whether they were filed before or after August 5. Our investigation teams are actively working on these cases, and the ACC will take appropriate legal action as required."