Government establishes committee to recommend candidates for ACC chairman and commissioners

The government has established a selection committee to recommend candidates for the roles of chairman and commissioners for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

According to a Cabinet Division announcement on Sunday, the committee was formed under Section 7 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004. Justice Md Rezaul Haque from the Supreme Court's Appellate Division will lead the committee, with other members including High Court Division Justice Farah Mahbub, Comptroller and Auditor General Md Nurul Islam, Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman Mobasser Monem, and former Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain.

The committee is responsible for recommending at least two candidates for each vacant position, as stated in the notification. The list of recommended candidates will be forwarded to the president for final approval, with decisions requiring consensus from at least three committee members present at the meeting. A minimum quorum of four members is required for the committee’s proceedings.

Throughout the selection process, the Cabinet Division will provide the necessary administrative support.

Previously, Muhammad Moinuddin Abdullah, then chairman of the ACC, along with commissioners Asia Khatoon and Jahurul Haque, resigned on October 29, citing personal reasons. Moinuddin, a former senior secretary of the agriculture ministry, had been appointed ACC chairman by the president on March 3, 2021. Although appointed for a five-year term, they resigned a year and a half early due to evolving circumstances.

The ACC chairman receives the same status and benefits as a Supreme Court Appellate Division judge, while commissioners hold equivalent rank to High Court Division judges.