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Published : 09 Jul 2025, 05:05 PM
The High Court has ordered the reinstatement of Md Sharif Uddin, former deputy assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), who was dismissed during the tenure of the Awami League government.
The court directed that he be reinstated with all dues and benefits, including salary and allowances, within 30 days of the verdict.
The bench of Justice Rezaul Hasan and Justice Biswajit Debnath issued the order on Wednesday after declaring a previous rule absolute in a writ petition filed on the matter.
Advocate Salauddin Dolon represented Sharif in court.
He told reporters that Sharif was dismissed on Feb 16, 2022, with just three months' salary, despite being a permanent employee.
“Today, the final hearing was held on the rule issued in response to our writ petition challenging the dismissal order. The court ruled in our favour and ordered that he be reinstated within 30 days with all benefits, including seniority.”
The court also annulled the ACC’s dismissal order issued under Rule 54(2) of the ACC (Employee) Service Rules 2008, effectively deeming Sharif to be considered continuously employed.
According to the lawyer, Sharif had been assigned to investigate about 130 cases, including major allegations surrounding a Tk 3.5 trillion land acquisition scam in Cox’s Bazar.
He submitted a detailed 620-page report outlining how government funds were misappropriated and how land was grabbed instead of being distributed to rightful owners.
“He had hoped that those involved would be punished and the land returned, and that he would be recognised for his efforts,” said Dolon.
“Instead, he faced severe backlash. He was repeatedly served show-cause notices, subjected to departmental proceedings, and eventually lost his job.”
Sharif filed a writ petition with the High Court on Mar 13, 2022, seeking to regain his job. After his dismissal, he had to take up a job in a shop, Dolon added.
His dismissal from the ACC was roundly criticised, and his colleagues held rare protests across various offices, including ACC headquarters, demanding withdrawal of the order and repeal of the rule under which he was sacked.
On Feb 27, Sharif submitted a formal request to the ACC to revoke the dismissal order. However, the commission rejected the plea.
The ACC had earlier said that Sharif was dismissed over “undisciplined behaviour” after receiving numerous complaints from individuals and institutions. He reportedly acted on his own rather than following ACC directives and allegedly harassed people by summoning them via notice or phone calls.
The anti-graft watchdog added that Sharif froze bank accounts without informing his superiors, and kept Tk 9.36 million seized from a surveyor in Cox’s Bazar in his own custody for over a year.
He was also accused of using influence to get his brother and relatives employed and of extortion after being transferred from Chattogram to Patuakhali.
Sharif, however, denied all allegations.
In a written statement to the media, he claimed that the dismissal was the result of pressure from individuals against whom he had recommended cases.
He said that if he had compromised with them, “none of this would have happened”.
