Trial delays, weak prosecution drag down ACC conviction rate

Prolonged investigations, inexperienced prosecutors, and delays in securing witness testimony have contributed to a steady decline in the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) conviction rate, which stood at around 50% in the first seven months of 2026, down from 61% in 2022.

Though ACC officials claim their cases are based on strong documentary evidence, legal experts say weaknesses in prosecution and trial management often undermine the cases in court.

Moyeedul Islam, former director general of the ACC’s legal and prosecution division, told TBS that poor prosecution can weaken even cases backed by substantial documentary evidence.

He said, “The outcome of a case often depends on how effectively prosecutors collect statements and information from witnesses.”

Conviction rates alone do not fully measure the commission’s effectiveness, as securing convictions against high-profile political, financial, or bureaucratic figures can have a far greater impact than prosecuting minor offenders.

Iftekharuzzaman, Executive director, TIB

The former ACC official called for regular monitoring of investigating officers and accountability for delays caused by shortcomings in investigations.

He urged the ACC to use its intelligence to focus on high-impact cases of national importance rather than low-priority complaints.

ACC lawyer Mir Ahmed Ali Salam said courts generally try to dispose of cases after they are filed, but proceedings are frequently delayed as witnesses fail to appear, leaving cases pending for years.

Official data show that the ACC’s conviction rate fell from 61% in 2022, when 211 of 346 disposed cases ended in convictions, to 57% in 2023, with 195 convictions out of 341 cases.

The rate dropped further to 47% in 2024, when 138 of 295 cases resulted in convictions. It rose slightly to 50% in 2025, with 133 convictions out of 264 cases.

In the first seven months of the current year, courts convicted defendants in 114 of 226 disposed cases, keeping the rate at 50%.

The slow pace of disposal has also created a huge backlog. As of July, 3,408 ACC cases were pending in courts, including 3,085 filed by the commission and 323 inherited from the defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption.

At present, the average disposal rate is about 322 cases a year; clearing the existing backlog alone would take more than a decade.

Contacted, Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, urged the ACC to conduct a data-driven assessment to identify systemic weaknesses.

He said conviction rates alone do not fully measure the commission’s effectiveness, as securing convictions against high-profile political, financial or bureaucratic figures can have a far greater impact than prosecuting minor offenders.