Media have pivotal role in curbing corruption
BSS
RANGPUR: The mass media could play important role in unveiling corruption, framing corruption as a public problem, suggesting solutions and generally empower the common citizens to prevent corruption, reports BSS.
The journalists should file more news stories on corruption focusing its negative impacts on the national economy to mobilise the common people for launching an effective movement for preventing corruption from the society.
The opinion came yesterday at a views sharing meeting on Role of Journalists of Print and Electronic Media in Preventing Corruption organised by District Corruption Prevention Committee (CPC) at the Training Centre of RDRS Bangladesh in the city.
The District Combined Office of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and RDRS Bangladesh under the Justice Reform and Corruption Prevention (JRCP) Project extended cooperation in organising the event.
The Law and Justice Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs has been implementing the JRCP Project through GO-NGO collaboration under financial assistance of German Development Cooperation (GIZ). With President of district CPC Professor Mozammel Haque in the chair, its Members, journalists and Presidents of Integrity Units of secondary schools participated in the meeting.
Deputy Director of District Combined Office of ACC Kamrul Ahsan and its Assistant Director Atikur Rahman attended the meeting as the chief and special guests respectively.
Senior Programme Manager (Social Organisations) of RDRS Bangladesh delivered presentation narrating ongoing activities and progress of JRCP Project in the meeting moderated by General Secretary of district CPC Akbar Hossain.
The media workers narrated about the corruption situation prevailing in different service providing government offices and forwarded suggestions for preventing those in greater national interests.
Terming media as the watchdogs, agenda setters and gatekeepers, the speakers said that journalists can monitor the quality of governance, frame the discussion about corruption, and provide voice to a wide range of perspectives and arguments.
They said media coverage always influences norms and cultures, which in turn can influence policy-making and legislative reform to influence the range from public awareness on corruption to massive protests against corruption and abuse of power.
The chief guest said prevention of corruption is not possible only through creation of law and asked media workers for working as a team to create awareness in launching movement for eradicating corruption from every sphere of the society.
Professor Mozammel Haque put emphasis on active cooperation of the mass media and common people to prevent corruption through stopping misuse of power and public money by a fewer section of government officials and employees.
