Published: 12:17 AM, 25 August 2026
ACC Letters Cause Panic: Caution Advised
A notice from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) can put enormous pressure on an individual and their family, believes newly appointed Commissioner Md. Sazzad Hossain Bhuiyan. For this reason, he wants to exercise extra caution during the preliminary verification and screening of complaints. He also wants the ACC to carry out its work while ensuring the protection of human rights.
Sazzad Hossain will serve as Commissioner (Investigation) in the ACC led by AKM Asaduzzaman. He previously served as chairman of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC).
In an interview with an online news portal on Sunday, the new commissioner said it would not be appropriate to bring an innocent person under investigation in haste.
Regarding longstanding allegations that the ACC has been used as a tool for political revenge, Sazzad Hossain said, "We have to carry out our work while protecting the human rights of every individual. There are many people who, upon receiving a notice from the ACC, may become so frightened that they could even suffer a fatal heart attack."
Sazzad Hossain, who began serving as an ACC commissioner last Wednesday, previously served as a member of the National Board of Revenue (NBR). The new commission wants to expedite the preliminary screening and investigation of nearly 5,000 complaints that have remained pending for a long time.
The new commissioner said that during his first three days in office, he had cleared around 300 files at various stages. He said the commission was working on a plan to complete a substantial portion of the backlog by September.
However, Sazzad Hossain does not want to rush the screening process simply to increase the pace of work. He said, "The main task is to establish discipline while reducing people's suffering. Establishing discipline by increasing people's suffering is not good work."
He considers the initial screening of a complaint after it is submitted to the ACC to be particularly important. Whether a complaint will proceed to a formal investigation depends on the decision taken at this stage.
He said he wants to carefully examine the basis and information behind a complaint before launching an investigation against anyone. If necessary, he is prepared to take additional time to do so.
According to him, if an innocent person is brought under investigation in haste, not only that individual but their entire family can come under tremendous pressure.
He also wants to ensure that innocent people are not subjected to ACC investigations.
Commissioner Sazzad said, "We want to build a good society. We do not want to build a society for bullying or intimidation. We want to ensure that no innocent person comes under investigation."
He also said that anyone facing allegations will have an opportunity to speak directly with the commission if they wish to do so.
Asked whether the ACC had been relatively weak in the past when investigating corruption allegations against those in power, he said, "We are working, and there is no pressure. Now, whoever an allegation is made against, we will examine it. We do not create allegations ourselves."
He said the commission would give greater importance to examining the substance and evidence of an allegation rather than focusing on the identity or position of the person against whom it had been made.
Sazzad Hossain also said the ACC plans to strengthen its own system for gathering information, alongside complaints received from citizens.
The ACC's role, he emphasized, should not be to increase people's suffering in the name of fighting corruption. Rather, its objective should be to establish discipline while protecting human rights.
