ACC has jurisdiction to probe any irregularity: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has the jurisdiction to conduct a probe into any irregularity.

“Nobody of the republic is above the law. The independent Anti-Corruption Commission has the jurisdiction to launch probes into graft allegations or irregularities,” he told a press conference on contemporary affairs at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said if there are allegations of irregularities against any particular person, the ACC can launch a probe against him or her.

“But, accusing the whole election system is unexpected and irrational,” he added.

Some 42 eminent citizens of the country sent a letter to the President demanding formation of a supreme judicial council over the alleged irregularities of the Election Commission (EC), the AL general secretary said, but experts think that such demand is illogical.

“Such demand makes the President, the guardian of the state and the custodian of the country’s Constitution, embarrassed,” he said.

About the ongoing local government elections, Quader said the Awami League has taken harsher stance against its rebel candidates in these polls.

Noting that some AL rebel candidates have been contesting in local government elections, he said those who will join the polls ignoring decisions of the AL Local Government Public Representative Nomination Board, will be considered to violate party discipline.

He said the AL leaders, who will abide by the party decisions,will be considered in different ways in the future.

Calling upon the AL leaders and workers to get united so that AL-nominated candidates can win in these polls, Quader warned that those who did not follow the party decisions would not be considered for the party nominations and posts in the days to come.