**5. The role of ACC minimizing corruptions in Bangladesh**

The ACC's vision is "to ensure creating a strong anti-corruption culture that permeates throughout the whole society," and its mission is "to combat, control, prevent corruption relentlessly and promote good practices" [41]. To preclude corruption and the misdeeds linked with corruption in compliance with the [37], the tasks are to conduct inquiries, inspect corruption and other specified offenses, and discharge duties as a prosecuting agency ([42], p. 13). Correspondingly, in 2018, the commission made 57 arrests, while in 2019, the number rose to 123, which was about 116 percent higher


#### **Table 1.**

*Comparative data of complaints received by the commission in last 5 years.*

than that of the preceding year [43]. However, ACC is playing a vital role to combat corruption from every sector in Bangladesh, especially from the government sectors.

According to [6], ACC played most significant role to take initiative against corruption. In **Table 1**, it spectacles the comparative scenarios of complaints received by ACC and their actions. In 2019, the highest numbers of complaints were submitted to the Commission. At the same time, the maximum number of complaints were forwarded to relevant ministries or departments for necessary action or for sending reports to the ACC after departmental enquiry. However, the present Commission has taken special initiatives to monitor responses from the relevant ministries or departments in taking administrative actions against the allegations. Regular followup meetings with the relevant departments are organized to get feedback about the actions taken on the complaints sent to them.

ACC has been convicted total 108 cases in inside Dhaka and 65 cases in outside of Dhaka in 2020. ACC also fine Tk 621,974,181 in inside of Dhaka and Tk 102,908,949 in outside of Dhaka in 2020. Besides, ACC has been convicted total 50 cases in Dhaka and 69 in outside of Dhaka. And with regard to the fine, ACC fine Tk 653,767,876 in Dhaka and Tk 98,067,441 in outside of Dhaka in the year of 2021.

#### **5.1 Immediate action against corruption**

The Anti-Corruption Commission launched a toll-free Hotline number (106) on 27 July 2017 to receive public complaints and prevent corruption instantly. In the very first week of the launch, about 75,000 phone calls were received. The AFP, The France24, the BBC, The Mail Online, The Deutsche Welle, The Qatar Post, The Herald, and many other media outlets worldwide published news pieces on this in different languages. This trend of reporting complaints to the Hotline continues as a routine activity. About 42 lakh (4.2 million) phone calls have been received since the inception of the Complaint Centre. Hotline services are conducted every working day from 9 am to 5 pm divided into four shifts. Five trained technicians of the Commission are providing this service. Activities of the Complaints Centre are digitally monitored. The ACC Complaints Centre (106) is being run under the close supervision of the Commission's senior officials. As a result, the quality and transparency of the campaign were increased. Due to the prima facie evidence of the allegations, formal enquiries were started into 203 allegations in the last 2 years. Moreover, eight cases were filed directly under the powers given by the latest amended Rule 10(f)(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission. According to Rule 16 of the ACC Rules, 2007, with the approval of the Commission, criminals were arrested in four cases of bribery through Trap operation.

*Curbing Corruptions in Government Sectors: The Role of Anti-Corruption Commission… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108623*
