The Anti-Corruption Commission has planned to hold public hearings on graft allegations at upazila level to make public servants accountable to people and thus check graft at the grassroots level.
Hospitals, police stations and land offices at upazila level in five districts would initially be brought under the programme, ACC Commissioner Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed told reporters yesterday.
Nasiruddin said if local people had any graft allegation against government officials, they would be able to raise them during the public hearing.
He said the ACC would give the accused officials a chance to defend themselves and resolve the allegations.
“If the allegations remain unresolved, the commission will recommend the authorities concerned to take departmental action against the accused,” the commissioner said.
Nasiruddin said the ACC would serve notice to the accused government officials giving at least 15-days time, asking them to be present before the scheduled hearing, adding that the commission would hold public hearing after every four months for each department at the preliminary stage.
German International Development Agency will provide assistance to the ACC to implement the programme of public hearing.
The World Bank has already formulated a concept paper for the ACC to implement the programme.
The ACC will soon write to the cabinet, seeking permission to introduce the public hearing programme.
The programme will begin in Gopalganj, Madaripur, Mymensingh, Comilla and Rangpur initially and then elsewhere across the country.