ROLE OF MEDIA IN CRIMINAL CASE: BANGLADESH PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Over the last one and half decades, media have been receiving increasing amount of attention as an ‘alternate watchdog’ that often get more public attention than the audit community, transparency, anti-corruption bodies and think tanks in addressing public corruption. The media is interested in ‘horror stories’ uncovered through investigative journalism – which have great ‘media value’ in combating corruption. Along with the global trend it is timely and appropriate to trace what impact media have been bringing on fiscal transparency and accountability of public sector corruption in Bangladesh.

This is an exploratory study with a combination of quantitative and qualitative method applied for the collection of data through questionnaire survey, interviews, case studies and content analysis. The study shows that historically media could not play a noticeable role in combating public sector corruption although the first effort of press establishment was linked to disclose the corruption of colonial administration. Strict control pursued by the colonial administration seriously undermined media’s freedom to address corruption. Besides, denial of information, financial limitation and low literacy rate also affected media’s function. Nevertheless, with the changes of time media are playing a significant role in addressing corruption issues, especially after the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991.

The overall position of ‘media freedom’ in Bangladesh is satisfactory, but its influence is relatively low in fighting corruption. Despite good ‘reporting incident’, ‘reporting quality, remained poor and most reports can not touch the upper stratum of public corruption. Finally, in comparison to electronic media, print media is performing better in combating public sector corruption.

CONTENTS

DESCRIPTIONS			Page No.
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1		Introduction	01
1.2		Background	02
1.3		Statement of the problem	03
1.4		Significance of the research problem	04
1.5		Research question	04
1.6		Scope and objective	04
1.7		The objectives	05
1.8		Methodology	05
Chapter 2: Theoretical Discussion
2.1		Introduction	07
2.2		Literature Review	07
2.3		Relevant Theories	11
2.4		Analytical Framework	12
2.4.1 Dependent variable			12
2.4.2 Independent variable			13
Chapter 3: Historical Background of Media Role
3.1	Introduction		15
3.2	Earliest media exposition		15
3.3	Genesis of media development		16

                       

Chapter 4: Media under Criminal Case In Bangladesh

4.1	Introduction	22
4.2	Media development under democracy	22
4.3	Impact on Criminal Case’s	24
4.4	Satisfaction with the overall performance and impact of media	35
Chapter 5 Factors Affecting Role of Media
5.1	Introduction	37
5.2	Reporting incident	37
5.3	Reporting quality	39
5.4	Media freedom	42
Chapter 6: Findings and Conclusion
6.1	Summary of findings	45
6.2	Conclusion	47
References		49-50

LIST OF TABLES

	Page No.
Table 2.1: Indicators for the dependent variable	18
Table 2.2: Indicators for the independent variables	19
Table 4.1: List of electronic and print media in Bangladesh	35
Table 4.2: Level of satisfaction on the performance and impact of media in	47
combating corruption
Table 4.3: Descriptive statistics on satisfaction of media’s role on corruption	48
Table 5.1: Descriptive statistics of reporting incident	49
Table 5.2: Descriptive statistics of reporting standard	52
Table 5.3: Journalist’s view on the threats/restriction involved in investigating	53
report
Table 5.4: Descriptive statistics on the opinion of freedom about political and	56
bureaucratic corruption
Table 5.5: Comparative statistics of freedom about political & bureaucratic	57
corruption
Table 5.6: Grade of difficulty to get access to information on government	68
corruption
Table 5.7: Perception about the professional and ethical standard of journalist	74
Table 5.8: People perception about ‘corruption within media stands as barrier in	82
combating corruption’
Table 5.9: Opinions on many media/journalists pursue their own agenda	83
Table 5.10: Trust level of general respondent about the objectivity of report	83
Table 5.11: Mean Index of dependent and independent variables	84
Table 5.12: Correlation of independent variables with dependent variable	85

LIST OF FIGURES
	Page No.
Figure 2.1: Analytical Framework for measuring the role of media in combating	17
public corruption
Figure 4.1: Perception on the tangible impact of media reporting on corruption	37
(n=70)
Figure 4.2: Frequency of various tangible impacts opined by respondents (n=51)	38
Figure 4.3: Perception on intangible impact of media reporting on corruption	43
(n=70)
Figure 4.4: Frequency of various intangible impacts opined by respondents (n=56)	44
Figure 5.1: Comparative opinions of incidents of reporting between electronic &	50
print media
Figure 5.2: Opinions of journalist and general respondent on reporting nature	51
(n=70)
Figure 5.3: Variations of the answers of print & electronic media respondents on	54
threat/pressure involved in investigating reporting. (n=20+20=40)
Figure 5.4: Reasons restrict freedom: Journalist opinion and people perception	58
(n=49)
Figure 5.5: Comparative opinions of electronic and print media journalists on	62
restrictive factors of freedom (n=27)
Figure 5.6: Respondent’s opinion regarding legal factors in ensuring freedom	63
(n=70)
Figure 5.7: Experience of media respondents about harassment/punishment (n=40)	64
Figure 5.8: Frequency of journalists harassed by various actors (n=17)	65
Figure 5.9: Opinion about impunity as a serious threat to combat corruption	66

(n=70)
Figure 5.10: Journalist’s opinion in facing difficulties on the collection of	69
information on government corruption
Figure 5.11: Whether existing relationship of media & bureaucracy is favorable to	71
combat corruption: opinion of journalist and civil servant (n=40+12=52)
Figure 5.12: Comparative opinions regarding the self-regulation for media	76
accountability (n=70)
Figure 5.13: Comparative views about impartial media report on corruption	77
(n=70)
Figure 5.14: Corruption engulfing the media: opinion of media respondents	78
(n=40)
Figure 5.15: Comparative opinions of electronic & print media journalist on	81
‘corruption engulfing media.’ n= (20+20) =40
Figure 5.16: Perception of general respondent about ‘journalists accept money	81
from source of corruption.’

LIST OF BOXES (Case Study)
	Page No.
Case study 3.1: Stealing cow from officer mess	27
Case study 4.1: Doing business with government by breaching law	39
Case study 4.2: Former Railway Minister’s resignation	41
Case study 4.3: RAB personnel fired on looted money	42
Case study 4.4: Milk seller’s story: Brother, now I add water in milk	79

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ACC                                  Anti-Corruption Commission

AP                                     Associated Press

APS                                   Assistant Personal Secretary

BBC                                  British Broadcasting Corporation

BC                                     Before Christian

BGB                                  Boarder Guard of Bangladesh

BTV                                   Bangladesh Television

CEO                                  Chief Executive Officer

CMLA                               Chief Martial Law Administrator

CPA                                  Central Public Administration

CPJ                                    Committee to Protect Journalists

EC                                     Election Commission

GOB                                  Government of Bangladesh

IPI                                     International Press Institute

JATRI                                Journalism Training & Research Initiative

MCA                                 Member of Constitute Assembly

MOI                                  Ministry of Information

MW                                   Mega Watt

NGO                                 Non-Government Organization

NSI                                    National Security Intelligence

OSD                                  Officer on Special Duty

PIB                                    Press Institute of Bangladesh

PC                                     Press Council

RAB                                  Rapid Action Battalion

RHD                                  Roads and Highway Department

RTI                                    Right to Information

SPJ                                    Society of Professional Journalists

SPSS                                 Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

STV                                   Satellite Television

TI                                       Transparency International

TIB                                    Transparency International Bangladesh

TAPEE                              Transparency, Accountability, Prevention, Education and

Enforcement

TV                                     Television

TVRO                                Television Receive Only Dish

UNDP                               United Nation Development Program

USAID                              United States Agency for International Development

WB                                    World Bank