The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The National Coordination Committee that works to check serious crimes has no legal validity in itself, said the committee's chairman MA Matin yesterday.

Matin, also home and shipping adviser, said the committee would not itself deal with any new case but would refer all graft allegations to the Anticorruption Commission.

"The ACC will handle all corruption allegations from now on, because the NCC has no legal basis," he said.

The comment was the clarification of the adviser's early statement on the NCC, but he did not further explain the legal basis of the committee.

The NCC has so far worked mainly to bring changes and assist the ACC, Matin clarified to reporters Tuesday after attending a board meeting of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation at the shipping ministry.

The NCC has so far investigated 488 cases. Of them, 65 have been disposed of, following trial. The remainder of the cases are either on trial or being investigated.

Matin said on Sunday that the government would not start any fresh anticorruption drive but would consider cases on a priority basis from the list of corruption suspects lying with the government.

On whether the NCC's stance indicated the government's gradual withdrawal or switch to a more amenable stance, the adviser said: "I don't see any compromise. We've assisted the ACC by instigating necessary measures against those found guilty."