The New Nation - Internet Edition

Barisal Correspondent

The district and divisional offices of the Anti-Corruption Commission in Barisal have been facing acute manpower crisis hampering all regular activities, including the ongoing anti-corruption drives by the present government.

The crisis became more severe after the government ordered to revive 187 old cases of these offices, including Barisal divisional, district and Bhola and Jhalakati district offices.

ACC sources said 18, out of 32 sanctioned posts of officials and staffs in Barisal district and divisional offices have been lying vacant for long.

Due to this crisis one official is performing the duties of four officials and employees. Constables or office assistances are doing the jobs of investigation officers.

Sources said Jhalakati and Bhola districts ACC offices are under jurisdiction of Barisal district ACC office.

Posts of two assistant directors, two deputy assistant directors, two court assistants, two upper division assistants, one driver, one data entry controller and one constable are now lying vacant in this office.

One deputy director of this office is performing extra-duties of one field officer, of one data entry controller and even of a constable.

In Barisal divisional office of the ACC, seven out of eleven sanctioned posts are lying vacant.

This office has posts of one director, one deputy director, one assistant director, one deputy assistant director, one upper division assistant, one driver, one data entry controller, one accountant, one MLSS, one guard, and one constable.

Of them, only one deputy director, one assistant director and one constable and one accountant are now working.

AKM Fazlul Huq, deputy director of Barisal district ACC and in charge of Divisional ACC Office acknowledged that he himself was performing four duties--the duties of a director-in-charge of Barisal Divisional Office of the ACC, deputy director of Bhola district office of the ACC, prosecution officer and officer on deputation in task force of anti-corruption drive.

After the passing of Bureau of Anti-Corruption Act of 2004 the department was upgraded as Anti-Corruption Commission on November 21, 2004. New posts were also created under the ACC, but manpower was not given appointment in the sanctioned posts for the last three years.

Due to this problem, huge allegations of corruptions reaching the Barisal district and divisional offices of the ACC are being piled up and stocked in sacks, as there is not sufficient manpower to scrutiny and investigate the allegations, Huq said.

"Not only that we have also been facing the problems of residential accommodation facilities as well as transportation, stationeries, allowances and budgets although we have been performing extra duties without any incentives," he further said.