Sharif Uddin Cleared to Return to ACC After Four and a Half Years as Commission Withdraws Appeal

The path has opened for Md Sharif Uddin, a former assistant deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) dismissed more than four and a half years ago, to be reinstated in his job.

The chamber court of the Appellate Division granted the ACC's application to withdraw its leave to appeal against the High Court verdict ordering his reinstatement with seniority and all arrears benefits. With the High Court verdict standing, there is now no barrier to Sharif Uddin returning to work, his lawyer said.

On Thursday (29 October), Sharif Uddin's senior lawyer Salah Uddin Dolon told the media the chamber court had granted the withdrawal of the ACC's application seeking permission to appeal the High Court verdict, so the reinstatement order with seniority and arrears benefits remains in force.

Sharif Uddin was removed from the post of assistant deputy director at the ACC's Patuakhali office on 16 February 2022. Before being transferred to Patuakhali on 16 June 2021, he had worked at the ACC's Chattogram office.

While serving in Chattogram, he investigated allegations of irregularities in land acquisition for government projects and recommended filing cases against influential persons.

He also filed a general diary (GD) at a police station alleging death threats for performing his duties. His dismissal drew wide discussion at the time, and ACC staff held a human chain in front of the commission's head office in protest.

The dismissal order cited powers under rule 54(2) of the ACC Employees Rules, 2008. Challenging the validity of that rule and seeking reinstatement, Sharif Uddin filed a writ in the High Court on 13 March 2022.

Earlier, the High Court had struck down the same rule in the dismissal of another ACC official, Md Ahsan Ali. As the ACC's appeal against that verdict was pending in the Appellate Division, the High Court stayed the hearing of Sharif's writ on 25 May 2022.

Sharif then filed a leave to appeal in the Appellate Division seeking a stay of that order. On 16 March 2023, the Appellate Division granted the ACC's appeal and set aside the High Court verdict that had struck down rule 54(2). The later full verdict directed that the rule be applied with utmost caution and that the ACC follow 12 observations and guidelines in such cases.

After the full verdict was published, hearing of Sharif Uddin's writ resumed in the High Court. After preliminary hearing, the court issued a rule on 6 February 2024. After final hearing, in a verdict on 9 July 2025, the High Court declared Sharif's dismissal order to be without lawful authority and void from the beginning.

The court also ordered his reinstatement with seniority and all arrears benefits, to be implemented within 30 days of receiving the copy of the verdict.

The ACC filed a leave to appeal against that verdict, but later decided not to proceed with it and applied for withdrawal. On 15 October, the chamber court of the Appellate Division granted the application. The order said the applicant's lawyer had stated he had instructions not to proceed, so the leave to appeal was dismissed as 'not to proceed'.

As a result, the High Court verdict reinstating Sharif Uddin with seniority and arrears benefits stands, and there is now no barrier to his return to work.