All Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioners Resign

All members of Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), including its chairman Dr Abdul Momen, have tendered their resignations. The formal submissions were made on Tuesday, 3 March, at the Cabinet Division in Dhaka.

Alongside Dr Momen, the other two commissioners—Mia Muhammad Ali Akbari Azizi and Hafiz Ahsan Farid—also resigned simultaneously.

Eyewitnesses reported that the trio arrived at the Cabinet Secretariat at 2:36 pm and entered the building designated as Number One for ministerial affairs. Within approximately ten minutes, they submitted their resignation letters and departed, marking the end of their tenure.

Career Timeline of Dr Abdul Momen

Dr Momen’s career has been closely intertwined with the country’s political and bureaucratic developments. In 2013, under the then Awami League government, he was compelled to take mandatory retirement while serving as a Joint Secretary.

Following the popular student-led uprising on 5 August 2024 that led to the fall of the Awami League administration, Dr Momen was appointed on a contractual basis as Secretary of the Public Security Division within the Ministry of Home Affairs. He was subsequently elevated to the rank of Senior Secretary.

On 10 December 2024, Dr Momen was appointed Chairman of the ACC, coinciding with the appointment of two new commissioners to the anti-corruption body.

His tenure drew public attention during the lead-up to the 13th Parliamentary elections, when several of his statements regarding anti-corruption measures and civic responsibility sparked political discussion. Notably, he urged citizens not to vote for individuals involved in corrupt practices—a statement that generated debate across political circles.

The collective resignation of all ACC commissioners marks a significant shift in the governance of Bangladesh’s principal anti-corruption body, raising questions about the future direction of anti-corruption policies and oversight.

Observers note that such a sweeping resignation is rare and could have implications for ongoing investigations and institutional continuity within the ACC.