The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday said no one—regardless of position, power, or foreign privilege—is above the law, as it defended its legal move against former UK anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq.
The commission, in a post-Eid briefing on Sunday, also issued a response to claims made in foreign media that Siddiq had not been contacted by the ACC and that her lawyer’s letter had gone unanswered.
“This is not a compoundable offence. Letters do not determine the outcome of such cases. The court does,” said ACC Chairman Dr Mohammad Abdul Momen.
He added that the chargesheet against Tulip was filed after a thorough investigation, and that the commission has already informed both her lawyer and, through him, the accused herself.
She has been instructed to appear before court, failing which she will be treated as a criminal absconder, he said.
“Even under the strong protection of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, she had to resign. That tells you something,” Momen added.
The ACC said the same legal standards apply not only to Tulip but also to other high-profile absconders, including ousted ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed, daughter Saima Wazed, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and Azmina Siddiq.
“Our procedure is uniform and unwavering,” Momen said.
He also used the occasion to thank journalists covering the ACC beat, calling them whistleblowers in the fight against corruption. “Your reporting shakes the very foundation of corruption.”
Acknowledging the legal and institutional limitations under which the ACC operates, Momen nonetheless asserted that the commission remains one of the most active and delivery-capable institutions in the country.
“We’ve only completed 75 working days as a new commission. You may judge us more fairly after 100,” he said.
Momen further briefed reporters on his recent visit to Thailand, where Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding on anti-corruption cooperation with the Thai National Anti-Corruption Commission during the Bimstec summit in Bangkok.
The MoU, he said, would help both countries strengthen institutional responses to corruption through bilateral collaboration.
Responding to a Thai journalist who asked what defines the current ACC leadership, Momen said: “We may not yet be constitutionally independent, but we are operating with full independence--and we intend to keep it that way.”