Justice Asaduzzaman Appointed New Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman

Justice A.K.M. Asaduzzaman has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), ushering in fresh leadership at Bangladesh’s apex anti-graft body. Alongside his appointment, Dr Jahangir Alam Khan and Dr Md Sajjad Hossain Bhuiyan have been named as commissioners. According to the governing Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004, the three-member leadership panel will serve a five-year term.

The Cabinet Division formally issued a gazette notification on Monday, 17 August, confirming the high-level appointments. Under Sub-section (1) of Section 6 of the ACC Act, Justice Asaduzzaman, Dr Khan, and Dr Bhuiyan were first appointed as commissioners. Sub-section (1) of Section 5 was subsequently invoked to designate Justice Asaduzzaman as Chairman of the Commission.

The gazette outlines the compensation and status granted to the incoming officials. Justice Asaduzzaman will hold the rank, salary, allowances, and perks equivalent to a judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Commissioners Dr Jahangir Alam Khan and Dr Md Sajjad Hossain Bhuiyan will hold privileges matching those of a High Court Division judge.

This administrative overhaul follows the resignation of former ACC Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen and Commissioners Miah Muhammad Ali Akbar Azizi and Brigadier General (retd) Hafiz Ahsan Farid on 3 March. Their sudden departure left all three key positions at the agency vacant, stalling major statutory decisions.

To resolve the leadership vacuum, the government constituted a five-member search committee on 22 June, headed by Appellate Division Justice Md Rezaul Haque. Under the governing framework, the search committee was tasked with inviting curricula vitae from interested candidates and submitting a shortlist containing two nominees for each vacant position directly to the President. Following a thorough evaluation of candidate credentials, the President finalized the selection.

The Anti-Corruption Commission operates as an independent statutory body governed by a three-member panel, with one member serving as Chairman. The appointment of Justice Asaduzzaman and his fellow commissioners restores the leadership needed to oversee pending inquiries, approve charge sheets, and enforce institutional integrity.