ACC Rebuts Allegation Over Viral Post, Warns Against Impersonation and Misinformation
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has issued a formal rebuttal against a social media post made by Hasnat Abdullah, the Chief Coordinator (Southern Region) of the National Citizens' Party (NCP), calling the allegations “defamatory” and “unverified.” The statement, signed by ACC Deputy Director and Public Relations Officer Md. Akhtarul Islam, was released shortly after midnight on Tuesday, June 24.
In the viral post, Hasnat Abdullah shared several WhatsApp call recordings allegedly involving ACC officials and claimed, “In independent Bangladesh, the ACC’s tea bill is one lakh taka.” One of the attached audio clips features a voice saying, “Even if there’s no allegation of corruption against you, you have to pay one lakh taka for clearance. Recently, this amount was demanded from Mahmuda Mitu by someone identifying as DG Akhtar and his DD. She was told, ‘You’re a doctor, you shouldn’t have a shortage of money. Pay one lakh taka and get your clearance.’”
The ACC, however, categorically denied the claims and clarified that “a fraudulent group has been impersonating the ACC chairman, director generals, and other officials, falsely offering to drop charges in exchange for money.” The Commission asserted that these fraudsters have no affiliation with the ACC and that legal action has already been taken against them, including arrests.
The statement further explained that such impersonation schemes have been addressed in past public warnings and news reports. “Unfortunately, victims of these frauds often blame the ACC on social media, damaging the Commission’s reputation,” it read.
The ACC emphasized that “it is every citizen’s moral responsibility to report any unethical proposals made by ACC officials during inquiries or investigations.” They encouraged the public to report any demand for money or evidence of wrongdoing via the ACC’s toll-free hotline (106) or email ([email protected]). Additional measures will be taken to ensure that such allegations do not interfere with ongoing investigations. Citizens may also report fraudulent communications or suspicious interactions to the nearest ACC office or seek assistance from law enforcement.
The Controversial Post
In his Facebook post, Hasnat Abdullah alleged: “Even if there’s no corruption complaint against you, you still need to pay one lakh taka for clearance. Recently, this was demanded from Dr. Mahmuda Mitu by someone identifying as DG Akhtar and his DD. She was told, ‘You’re a doctor; surely money is not an issue for you. Just pay one lakh and get your clearance.’”
He added: “The lowest rate at ACC is reportedly one lakh taka. When she refused, Akhtar allegedly called back to ask again, warning that if she didn’t pay, she’d face consequences. Dr. Mitu joined Red Crescent after August 5, and now the ACC is investigating corruption from the Awami League era. Ironically, instead of naming corrupt officials from that time, they’re harassing current employees. This indicates significant under-the-table dealings.”
Hasnat also criticized the ACC’s historical conduct, saying: “This is not the first time the ACC has acted like this. Under Hasina’s regime, they harassed opposition leaders like Khaleda Zia while ignoring massive corruption by the ruling party. We hoped for reform after August 5, but instead, the ACC has started demanding one lakh taka as a ‘tea bill.’”
He concluded by calling for transparency: “If there’s even a single paisa of corruption against me or Dr. Mitu, make it public. There’s no need for phone calls—file the case and let the law decide. But stop extorting innocent people. We demand justice. Did the people die in July only to buy tea for corrupt officials? If we fail to uproot these poisonous teeth of bureaucracy, the dream of a new Bangladesh will perish.”
The post also included three audio-visual recordings allegedly of phone conversations involving Dr. Mitu and ACC impersonators.
