ACC Search Committee Holds Inaugural Meeting to Select New Leadership

The process to overhaul the top leadership of Bangladesh’s premier anti-graft watchdog has officially commenced. The newly formed search committee, tasked with recommending appointments for the Chairman and Commissioners of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), is scheduled to hold its inaugural meeting this afternoon, Wednesday, 1 July.

Justice Md Rezaul Haque, a distinguished judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court and the designated chairman of the search committee, will preside over the session. This preliminary meeting is expected to establish the core operational guidelines, evaluation criteria, and timelines for identifying potential candidates to lead the statutory body.

Statutory Foundations and Committee Structure

The high-powered panel was formally constituted by the government on 22 June, following statutory guidelines aimed at ensuring transparency and neutrality in the selection of the country’s anti-corruption leadership. Under the established legal framework, the search committee holds the responsibility of vetting eligible individuals and compiling a shortlist of qualified candidates. This scrutinized list will subsequently be forwarded to the President of Bangladesh, who retains the ultimate constitutional authority to finalise the appointments.

The composition of the five-member search committee reflects a deliberate balance of judicial, administrative, and regulatory expertise. Alongside Justice Md Rezaul Haque, the committee includes:

• Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty from the High Court Division,

• The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of Bangladesh,

• The Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC),

• The Cabinet Secretary, who traditionally oversees administrative coordination.

Context and Operational Challenges

The selection process carries immense weight, as the ACC is legally structured to operate as an independent and self-governing collective, comprising one Chairman and two Commissioners. Finding leaders who possess unblemished integrity, judicial or administrative competence, and a firm commitment to public accountability remains the primary challenge before the panel.

The preceding leadership team at the ACC had stepped down, leaving the anti-graft body temporarily vacant at its highest executive tier and stalling several policy-level decisions. Over past decades, the efficiency and public credibility of the commission have often been tied directly to the independence of its top panel. Consequently, civil society groups and legal experts are closely watching this afternoon’s deliberations. The committee’s initial roadmap will dictate how names are invited—whether through institutional nominations, open applications, or independent talent scouting—before the final recommendations are placed on the President’s desk.