Journalism becoming a tough job: TIB
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has said it does not think the recent series of attacks on journalists while collecting information of irregularities and corruption as isolated incidents.
Rather, these incidents are the continuous tendency to muzzle the voice of mass media through misuse of power, assault, cases and culture of impunity, it said, adding that these issues are making journalism a tough job in the country.
The anti-corruption watchdog came up with the observation in a statement on Wednesday. It also observed that some steps are taken immediately over the attacks on journalists, but the attackers are not finally brought to book.
Against such a backdrop, the TIB demanded strict punishments to the culprits in each of the cases, through immediate and fair investigations. Besides, it called upon the authorities to legislate a special law to protect the journalists.
TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman in the statement said that the countrymen are now going through a acute crisis due to money laundering and different sorts of corruption by influential quarters.
Under this circumstance, the series of attacks on journalists for uncovering and publishing information about corruption are by no means isolated incidents.
Recently, several journalists of electronic and print media have been assaulted brutally while collecting information on corruption and irregularities in various public services and financial institutions.
It has now been evident how ruthless, powerful and organized the corrupt people are. They do not even care about any state authority, let alone the law enforcement agencies.
Their reckless attitude proves that they get protection and impunity from any of the influential quarters, he added.
The TIB boss further said though assaults on journalists to control the media take place frequently, there is really no instance of appropriate punishment through legal steps.
“We have long been expressing concerns over the issues. The government stance on free media and independent journalism has practically turned into a meaningless formality,” he added.
Quoting data of Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), he said at least 119 journalists have been subjected to attacks, lawsuits and torture this year until July. Some 38 of them were assaulted while discharging professional duties and 19 others due to their published reports.
In particular, the recent attacks on at least three television journalists in Dhaka and Barishal while collecting information on the long-standing irregularities and corruption in the health sector prove the reckless violence of the powerful syndicates and their protectors in the sector.
He raised a question whether such a series of attacks on journalists is a deep-rooted and organised conspiracy to break their morale and prevent them from revealing the corruption.
According to the Global Impunity Index-2021, Bangladesh is in the tenth position in terms of insecurity of journalists, which is a shameful instance of the obvious risk of journalism.
According to the World Press Freedom Index- 2022, Bangladesh slipped 10 notches to the 162nd position among 180 countries. It proves that journalism is steadily getting tougher in the country.
Therefore, it is imperative to ensure fair trial in every case of violence against journalists, through immediate formulation of a special law for the protection of journalists and its effective implementation.