Dhaka: The hotline, launched by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) just four days back to receive graft allegations directly from complainants, is getting a huge response from people.

"We've already got some 70,000 phone calls from people," ACC system analyst (director) Rajib Hasan told UNB on Tuesday.

He said the ACC's complaint centre is receiving phone calls even on the weekend (Friday and Saturday), but all are not graft allegations as some people are making the calls just to hail the Commission for introducing the service.

"When people call over the hotline during the weekend, their calls are automatically recorded in the ACC's system," Rajib added.

On July 27 last, Finance Minister AMA Muhith officially launched the ACC's hotline - 106.

Now, the complainants who cannot read or write can submit their allegations against graft suspects through calling from their mobile phones. One can submit his or her complaint dialing 106 from any mobile phone operator of the country or telephone free of cost.

Rajib Hasan said the complaint centre has already submitted about 200 graft allegations, which received through hotline, to the Commission requesting to launch probes into those.

Talking to UNB, ACC public relations officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya said the hotline has so far received several thousands of allegations, mostly regarding bribery.

He said the ACC hotline has also received many allegations of graft and irregularities about the projects and activities of local government bodies.

To receive phone calls from the complainants, Rajib said, four ACC officials are currently working in four shifts a day.

He said the ACC has planned to install billboards in all major cities and distribute leaflets and stickers among people across the country to encourage them to submit their allegations against graft suspects through calling from their phones.

About the hotline, ACC chairman Iqbal Mahmood earlier told UNB when common people will be able to submit their complaints through phone calls using the 106 hotline, public servants responsible for providing services to them will be more careful and are unlikely to dare get involved in corruption.

In January this year, the ACC got approval with a number (106) from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) to launch the hotline.