ACC convictions hit 8-yr low
The conviction rate in corruption cases in Bangladesh dropped to 47 percent in 2024, the lowest in the past eight years, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in combating corruption.
This marks a sharp decline from a 57.18 percent conviction rate in 2023, a 10 percent drop in one year. Over the past four years, the conviction rate has fallen from 72 percent in 2020 to 47 percent in 2024 -- a total decline of 25 percent.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Experts attribute this decline to several factors, like weak investigations, lack of skilled public prosecutors, and inadequate supervision.
According to data, more than half of the accused in corruption cases were acquitted in 2024. A total of 341 corruption cases were resolved in 2024, with 47 percent resulting in convictions.
Cases filed by the now-defunct Anti-Corruption Bureau had a lower conviction rate of 29 percent, while cases filed by the ACC had a slightly higher rate of 48 percent.
According to ACC's annual reports, the conviction rate was 60.98 percent in 2022, 60 percent in 2021, 72 percent in 2020, 63 percent in 2019, 63 percent in 2018, and 68 percent in 2017.
The last time the rate was this low was in 2016 at 37 percent, with 2015 recording 35 percent.
The rate of case disposal has also declined, with only 8.65 percent of cases disposed of in 2024 compared to 10.17 percent in 2023.
Meanwhile, the ACC continued to face a backlog, with 3,410 pending cases in lower courts -- 3,066 filed by the ACC and 344 by the erstwhile Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Despite this backlog, courts ordered fines totalling Tk 1,147.33 crore in corruption cases in 2024, while assets worth Tk 11.75 crore were seized.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director and head of the ACC Reform Commission, Iftekharuzzaman, told The Daily Star, "This reflects the ACC's lack of effectiveness, which peaked in the final year before the fall of the authoritarian regime. The new leadership is expected to overcome this legacy and restore public trust, given the opportunities created by the July uprising."
"The low conviction rate is also due to the slow and complex judicial process. Reforming the ACC must be part of broader state and judicial reforms," he added.
ACC Director General (Prevention) Aktar Hossain said the commission is working diligently to prove corruption charges.
"Successful convictions depend on the quality of evidence presented in court. ACC is focusing on capacity-building to strengthen investigations," he said.
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