High Court: ACC should not act like a snake without venom

The High Court has observed that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) should not act like a snake without venom as it tackles graft and irregularities.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim came up with the observation after hearing a writ petition on Sunday.

The writ petition was filed on February 1 seeking measures to bring back laundered money from different foreign banks, including the Swiss Bank Corporation.

"The ACC needs to be a venomous snake to prevent corruption and money laundering," the High Court said. Offering another analogy from the animal kingdom, it said the commission should not be a "toothless tiger."

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Advocate Abdul Kaiyum Khan, who moved the writ, said: "We sought measures to seek detailed information on laundered money and formation of special probe team to prevent money laundering, amendment of law and freezing laundered money of controversial trader Moosa Bin Shamsher."

The bench fixed February 9 for next hearing, he added.

The writ petition also sought a rule seeking explanation why the failure of the authorities concerned to bring back the laundered money should not be declared illegal.  

The petition also sought the formation of a special committee to monitor and control money laundering by Bangladesh citizens or companies to foreign banks including the Swiss Bank, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik said.

Secretaries to the Finance Ministry, Prime Minister's Office, Commerce Ministry, Law Ministry, and the attorney general were made respondents to the writ petition.  

Several newspaper reports on money laundering were attached to the petition.