DHAKA : The Anti-Corruption Prevention Committees (ACPCs), localized civic bodies established by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), are being expanded to the union level to strengthen anti-corruption awareness and social resistance against corruption.

This new initiative has been included in the proposed 2026–27 fiscal year budget for the activities of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

According to relevant officials, ACPCs are currently operating at the metropolitan, district, and upazila levels across the country. 

Under the new decision, the programme will be extended to the union level from the upcoming fiscal year. It is expected that establishing committees at the grassroots level will significantly broaden anti-corruption activities nationwide.

ACC officials and leaders of anti-corruption organizations believe that forming committees at the union level will increase public participation in anti-corruption initiatives. 

It will also strengthen public awareness and social resistance against corruption. Furthermore, the initiative is expected to play an important role in promoting a culture of integrity, ethics, and good governance.

Speaking to BSS, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said that the initiative to establish ACPCs at the union level is undoubtedly a positive step. According to him, it has the potential to increase public awareness against corruption.

Referring to past experiences with similar committees, he advised for conducting an impartial evaluation before forming the new committees. 

He said, "If a new structure is developed by learning from the weaknesses of previous initiatives, the chances of success will be much greater."

According to the ACC constitution, each union-level ACPC will consist of seven members. The committee will include one chairperson, the required number of responsible members, and at least one-third female representation. Members will be nominated from among honest, socially conscious, and volunteer-minded citizens.

The ACC constitution also states that foreign nationals, elected public representatives, government employees, active political party members, persons declared mentally incompetent by a court, bankrupt individuals, loan defaulters, and those accused or convicted of criminal offenses are not eligible to become committee members.

ACC Secretary Mohammad Khaled Rahim said that punitive measures alone are not sufficient to combat corruption. Therefore, the goal is to raise anti-corruption awareness among grassroots citizens by expanding preventive activities to the union level, he said. 

He added that alongside enforcing the law, building social awareness would make corruption prevention more effective.

According to the latest information available on the ACC's official website, ACPCs currently have up to 13 members at the district and metropolitan levels and up to nine members at the upazila level. 

These committees regularly organize discussion meetings, essay and debate competitions, rallies, human chains, seminars, dramas, and various public awareness programs.

According to 2025 data, more than 500 ACPCs were active at the metropolitan, district, and upazila levels across the country. Within a single year, they organized over 1,500 discussion meetings, more than 1,000 debate competitions, and hundreds of rallies, human chains, and other public awareness activities.