More than 300 individuals have applied for the positions of chairman and commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which has been ineffective since the BNP government took office.
High-ranking government officials have expressed surprise at the volume of applications, sparking debate regarding the organisation’s particular appeal.
Tanvir Ahmed, joint secretary of the Cabinet Division, confirmed the number of applications to TIMES of Bangladesh, saying, “We have not yet scrutinised these submissions. I cannot confirm if any previous officials are among them.”
He was, however, unable to specify the exact number of applications for the chairmanship versus the commissioner roles. The selection committee invited resumes from qualified and interested individuals for these appointments on 2 July, with the submission deadline closing on 13 July.
The screening committee is expected to evaluate these applications shortly before recommending names to the President for the formation of a new commission.
Iftekharuzzaman, head of the ACC Reform Commission formed during the interim government and Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said, “In the absence of information regarding the candidates’ qualifications, skills, and experience, or whether the search committee set specific criteria, it can only be said based on the number of applications that many may see the ACC as an attractive employment opportunity.”
Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Citizens for Good Governance (SHUJAN), noted that historically, there have been allegations of individuals using these positions to accumulate wealth and gain government favour.
Highlighting that retired government officials show the most interest in these posts, he added, “The government should appoint honest and qualified people to these positions. Otherwise, corruption cannot be stopped.”
The ACC has been ineffective since 3 March, when the Chairman and two Commissioners appointed during the interim government resigned following the BNP’s rise to power.
The BNP’s vision for restructuring the ACC differs from that of the interim government.
An ordinance issued in 2025 intended to enhance the ACC’s investigative and secret inquiry powers – including provisions for filing cases directly, bringing serious financial crimes committed abroad under its jurisdiction, and increasing the number of commission members – was not approved by the BNP. Consequently, the ACC law has reverted to its previous status.
To recommend appointments, the government has formed a five-member selection committee headed by Justice Md Rezaul Huq of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. The Cabinet Division issued the notification for the committee’s formation on 22 June this year.
Other members of the selection committee include High Court Division Justice Razik-Al-Jalil, the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh, the Chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission, and the Cabinet Secretary.
Under Section 7, Sub-section 4 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004, the committee will submit a list of two names for each vacant commissioner post to the President.
Former ACC chairman Ghulam Rahman told TIMES, “The fact that over 300 applications were received means the tendency to work against corruption is increasing among people. The committee should select and nominate the most qualified individuals from among them.”
