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TIB-Awarded Investigative Reports
Uncovering corruption through media
10/15/2005
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has published a book titled "TIB Awarded Investigative Reports" with 13 reports including series reports that won TIB investigative journalism award from 1997 to 2004.
In spite of the attention it usually receives, investigative journalism is not sufficiently promoted in Bangladesh. In many cases, even the employer refuses to publish an investigative report due to pressure from different vested quarters.
Also this type of journalism can be very time-consuming and requires resources that are often hard to come by. This adds to the pressures and dangers already inflicted on reporters by those who have an interest in keeping investigative reports quiet.
Keeping all these constraints and problems in view, TIB introduced its Investigative Journalism Awards to promote investigative journalism in the country and thereby involve media in its anti-corruption movement. It is to be mentioned here that TIB is an independent organisation working towards creation of a Bangladesh which is free from corruption.
Though this award programme has been introduced in 1997, this is for the first time that a compilation of all the reports that received IJ Awards is published. Reports awarded were judged on the basis of the importance of the disclosure, the significance of the area investigated, the depth and rigour of the investigation, the quality of the presentation and its possible impact.
The book is enriched with huge information on different institutional corruptions that were disclosed in the daily newspapers. There are five reports in the book on corruptions of police. The focus was on adulteration of bottled water and various commodities in two reports. Negligence of Education Board's officials in printing books, unethical agreement of pharmaceutical companies with the doctors and corruption in Jamuna Bridge construction have also been disclosed.
The book was formally released on August 4, during a roundtable discussion on ''Corruption and Mass Media" which coincided with the IJ Awards Ceremony of the year 2005. This publication will be helpful for the journalists, media activists, researchers, policy makers and students who are very much eager to involve in anti-corruption movement.
The book can be purchased at Tk 200 from TIB's office in Gulshan (Progress Tower, 5th & 6th Floor, House-1, Road-23, Gulshan-1). — A TIB release
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