Ensure conducive environment for free media to function: TIB to govt

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) today called upon the government to ensure free and unrestricted discharge of professional functions for media.

In a statement issued today to mark World Press Freedom Day 2020, the anti-graft watchdog stressed that free media is an indispensable precondition for the constitutional rights of citizens and a democratic accountability of the government.

TIB expressed concern that media workers reporting on corruption, theft, extortion and relief goods swindling are being subjected to self-censorship through various predicaments like harassment, intimidation, physical abuse, torture, disappearance and arbitrary arrests using the Digital Security Act.

The organisation also demanded that in the interest of people's access to information and public awareness in the context of Covid-19 crisis, the government and other stakeholders must protect professional freedom as well health and safety of media workers while ensuring that media institutions remain functional.

"The World Press Freedom Day this year is of greater importance than ever. Free media is the most important catalyst to control illicit designs of those who are out to convert the Covid-19 pandemic into a festival of corruption," said TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman.

"Media must be free to report not only on corruption and irregularities in relief operation on the ground, but also on different types of abuse of power and collusive corruption at higher levels where the need to fast-track procurement and distribution decisions in the crisis and recovery period may be treated as a licence for self-enrichment by a section of the politically and otherwise powerful," he added.