Prime minister Sheikh Hasina wants 'reconstituted' ACC........

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told parliament that the Anticorruption Commission should be "reconstituted" to ensure its own accountability.

During her weekly question-answer session, the PM said the anti-graft drive during the caretaker government's two-year tenure became an "anti-politician drive", and the ACC was itself tainted by allegations of corruption.

Hasina also said past military interventions in Bangladesh had led to the spread of corruption in the country.

"The Anticorruption Commission will have to work to eliminate corruption. But they must have transparency and accountability in their activities," said Hasina, replying to a supplementary question.

"I think the ACC needs to be reconstituted and its transparency must be guaranteed," she said.

The PM, who herself was jailed for 11 months from 2007-2008 on graft charges brought by the ACC, said the Commission itself during the caretaker regime was said to be involved in corrupt practices.

"During the caretaker government's tenure we heard many stories. Some people were arrested on corruption charges, but later released in exchange for money," said Hasina.

She said people had hailed the ACC's anti-graft drive, "but it came under suspicion when it was aimed at elimination of politicians".

"Their anti-corruption drive was called into question when they became involved in forming a new political party, executing the so called minus two, minus one formulas," the two-time prime minister said.

But, Hasina also had some positive words for the caretaker government's anti-corruption drive.

"During the caretaker government, people began to realise that none could escape from trial for their corrupt practices. They could be tried at any time," said Hasina.

The prime minister said she would examine the ACC's recommendations on elimination of corruption and accept those that were "acceptable".

"We will discard the unreasonable."

"If necessary we will add more," she said.

She said public awareness was necessary to free the country from corruption besides legal measures.

Sheikh Hasina also attributed corruption to past military interventions.

"Those in uniform have imposed military rule to nurture corruption."

"You can easily get an idea of this by comparing the level of corruption before 15 Aug. 1975 and after military rule," Hasina reasoned her comment.

She said military regimes coupled with vote rigging proliferated corruption in the country.

"Unelected governments have no accountability. Violations of the Constitution lead to spread of corruption in society."

"They did not need to answer to the people. So, corruption gripped society," said the PM whose father, independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and other family member were assassinated on Aug. 15 1975.

Replying to another question, Hasina said IT education would be made mandatory at SSC and primary levels by 2013 and 2021 respectively.

She also said her government had plans to set up one technical school and a technical college in each Upazila.