Published: 25 February 2024
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has concluded another phase of its Anti-Corruption Investigative Journalism (IJ) Fellowship. The flagship event takes place every year in line with TIB’s mission of bolstering investigative journalism and serving as a catalyst in empowering the media to combat corruption.
TIB Executive Director (ED) Dr. Iftekharuzzaman handed over crests and certificates to the fellows of the Anti-Corruption Investigative Journalism Fellowship 2023 at an event, held at Meghomala Conference Room in the TIB’s headquarters on 25 February 2024.
TIB also listened to experiences, ideas, and feedback from the judges, mentors, and fellows at the event to further improve the fellowship system and capacity building initiatives.
The event was the final step of the six-month IJ fellowship programme. Three journalists were selected from 21 applicants for the fellowship in 2023. Following mentorship, financing, and organisational support from TIB, the selected fellows conducted investigation on corruption and malpractice, covering a range of topics, and published their work.
In the year, two female journalists from Chattogram-based print media outlets were selected for the fellowship alongside one male participant from an English national daily. TIB’s inclusion of investigative reporters from outside the capital in the fellowship facilitated anti-corruption reporting at the grassroots, which is often unexplored by national-level media houses.
Since 2012, TIB has championed investigative journalism in Bangladesh through the fellowship. The initiative aims to empower journalists to expose corruption, enhance transparency, and ensure accountability in public interest. TIB remains optimistic about the programme's continued contribution to shaping media integrity, and inspiring journalists to pursue truth.
In his speech on the occasion, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman reaffirmed TIB's steadfast support for journalists and media institutions in the anti-corruption movement. He highlighted TIB's engagement in policy dialogues concerning press freedom and journalist protection, including reviews of pertinent laws like the Digital Security Act and the Cyber Security Act.
He also pledged TIB’s ongoing support through mentorship initiatives, particularly for young journalists dedicated to combating corruption and serving public interest.
The investigative work by the fellows are:
- i) Sharmin Akter Rima (Staff Reporter, Cvoice24 & Guest Reporter, Protidiner Bangladesh)
- Inconsistent demographics across projects; Chattogram City Corporation’s manipulation to grab additional allocation
- Allocations raised and plundered showing ‘ghostly’ population in Chattogram City Corporation
- ii) Shahenoor Akther Urmi (Freelance Reporter/ Report published on Daily Observer)
- Hill Cutting Goes on Defying Warnings: Part-I It’s a hide and seek game
- Hill Cutting Goes on Defying Warnings: Part-II Allegations zero in on CCC
- iii) Sajibur Rahman (Staff Reporter, The Financial Express)
- Smart land management, likely downside-1 Complexity, underhand dealings, duplicity upset service-seekers
- Smart land management-II - Complaints galore about abuse of online land services
- Smart land management, likely downside-III -Third-party manipulation mars smartness
- Smart land management: likely downside – IV- Drifting like a ship sans radar at risk
