In an unprecedented move, Prof Moniruzzaman Mian, one of the ACC Commissioners, will visit the port and customs with a team to assess at first hand the state of corruption in the country's lone seaport and find out ways to scale down them.

Since the constitution of the anti-graft commission, the ACC chairman has often talked about corruption in different land and seaports, and customs, and expressed his resolve to combat the corruption. But eight months into its formation, the much-vaunted ACC has yet to do anything to that end.

Sources said a Transparency International (TI) Bangladesh report on July 3 on corruption in Chittagong port and customs woke up the ACC to seriousness of the situation and prompted it to initiate steps, at least to spare its blushes.

Besides, the commission is preparing to probe the recent blow-out in Tengratila gas field as well as all the corruption allegations against Canadian oil company Niko. The allegations levelled against Niko include inefficient handling in gas exploration, irregularity in the sale of gas from the Feni gas field, and gifting a luxury car to the ex-energy minister Mosharraf Hossain.

ACC Chairman Justice Sultan Hossain Khan yesterday told The Daily Star, "The dealings concerning the country's gas fields and different international companies have often been charged with large-scale corruption, and so we plan to scrutinise all the agreements relating to gas exploration."

Referring to the corruption in Chittagong seaport, he said, "We are certainly going to investigate all sorts of corruption allegations regarding the port. Given the appalling rise in corruption, we are considering devising some immediate preventive measures."

Justice Sultan said that Moniruzzaman Mian is going to Chittagong port next week to see for himself the situation in the port, jetty, and customs house. He will examine all records and documents, and talk to the officials and others involved with the port to work out ways to check the trend of corruption.

Sources in the ACC said though the chairman has given the go-ahead for the special drive in the Chittagong port, but in reality, it would not be easy. Rushing into actions without knowing thoroughly about the port and customs activities, especially the level of corruption and how it takes place would not help the drive, and eventually would bring no significant results, added the sources.

Meanwhile, the commission has already contacted TIB and asked for a detailed report, said a source. After going through the report, the commission will talk to the TIB authorities including those who were involved in preparing the report. Then it will talk to National Board of Revenue, as customs is one of its departments.

TIB in its report revealed that traders bribe the Chittagong port and customs officials with more than Tk 800 crore a year. In addition to Tk 341 crore for the port itself, exporters and importers have to count Tk 460 crore as bribe for the customs every year for exporting and importing goods through the port.