Contractual Hiring: A Quick Fix for ACC’s Workforce Shortage

Saeed Ahmed

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is facing an operational breakdown due to an extreme scarcity of experienced personnel, which stems from a 16-year direct recruitment freeze from 1995 to 2011. Internal promotions stopped, and direct recruiting was suspended once it changed from a Bureau. Temporary deputations, a tactic employed by commissions dominated by bureaucrats to avoid promotions and shield dishonest individuals, were preferred by earlier governments. The agency, which operates at around half of its authorised 2,146 posts throughout its headquarters, 8 divisional offices, and 36 integrated district offices, has a serious shortage at high levels such as Director General, Director, and Deputy Director.

Investigative and prosecution skills have been hampered by this shortfall. Final investigation reports lack depth, fact-finding, and legal analysis, whereas initial First Information Reports include inaccuracies. The Commission loses most of its cases at trial due to a lack of important documentary proof, giving corrupt people a free ride. Even though junior officers were just hired, they are unable to fill top-tier positions. Deputed public officers seldom serve as major complainants or testify in court; thus, they lack the decades of financial crime experience needed to develop personnel.

Veteran leadership is leaving more quickly. No officers hired under the prior Bureau will stay until 2030, according to internal documents, with nine senior officials leaving this year alone. DG Mir Md. Zainul Abedin Shebley will retire in 2027, after DGs Abdullah Al Zahid and Md. Akhtar Hossain. Until the 2011 recruiting group reaches retirement age in 2041, this wave results in a total leadership vacuum. Additionally, a large number of retired officers were routinely passed over for promotions due to bogus allegations of political connection.

Chapter 2 of the Anti-Corruption Commission (Staff) Rules, 2008, which permits contractual engagement in addition to hiring, promotions, and deputations, is suggested by experts as a solution to the issue. Reappointing honest, competent senior officers on contract- especially recent retirees- and restoring officers denied seniority were priorities for a past ACC Director General. Contractually re-engaging verified retired officials provides a workable solution to close the gap, improve FIRs, and restore trial success, according to Chairman Justice A.K.M. Asaduzzaman.