TAC chief praises media's role in anti-graft campaign
Friday, 24 October 2008
Chairman of the Truth and Accountability Commission (TAC) Justice M Habibur Rahman Khan Thursday praised media for its continued support to the anti-graft campaign as other major stakeholders appeared to have backtracked from their social responsibilities in this regard, reports BSS.
"Many professionals have relinquished their social responsibility for maximizing income from their jobs, but only the journalists are still fighting with courage and honesty for establishing social order and discipline and also eradicating corruption," he said.
Talking to the news agency at his Gulshan residence last night, the TAC chief, a former High Court judge, particularly lamented the role of a section of the senior lawyers who are taking huge amount of money as fees from the litigants, what he said, closing the door for poor towards getting benefit of justice.
"As a lawyer and former leader of the bar association, I am very much hurt by such things," the former President of Dhaka Bar Association said seeking to know why the lawyers are forgetting that they must also have some feeling for the people.
He said the lawyers are supposed to play an effective role in the ongoing drive against corruption. But, he added, it is very frustrating to see that they (lawyers) have become either counselor or facilitator of big corrupt persons.
"Now, I have reposed my confidence on journalists as I believe that they are the nation's last hope," Justice Khan said adding that the press as a whole has been playing a very praiseworthy role in this crucial moment.
Journalism should be developed as a highly dignified profession in the greater national interest, he added.
"In the recent past, our officially designated investigating agencies failed to unearth clues of many incidents, but journalists have proved their worth in finding out facts", the former chairman of Bangladesh Press Council said.
The TAC chairman also said that his expectation of journalists was very high as they were doing their job with courage and honesty, immensely benefiting the society by their relentless service, which is rarely seen in other professions.
He urged the journalists to carry on their sacred responsibility fearlessly and with a missionary zeal in all spheres of national life to help root out corruption from the country. "I earnestly expect your presence with the mighty pen wherever corruption exists," he said.
In this regard, Justice Khan, also former chairman of the Seventh Wage Board for Journalists and Newspaper Employees, said the state should provide the journalists with all possible supports including modern training, higher level of education side by side with looking into their financial aspects in terms of salary and other benefits.
"Many professionals have relinquished their social responsibility for maximizing income from their jobs, but only the journalists are still fighting with courage and honesty for establishing social order and discipline and also eradicating corruption," he said.
Talking to the news agency at his Gulshan residence last night, the TAC chief, a former High Court judge, particularly lamented the role of a section of the senior lawyers who are taking huge amount of money as fees from the litigants, what he said, closing the door for poor towards getting benefit of justice.
"As a lawyer and former leader of the bar association, I am very much hurt by such things," the former President of Dhaka Bar Association said seeking to know why the lawyers are forgetting that they must also have some feeling for the people.
He said the lawyers are supposed to play an effective role in the ongoing drive against corruption. But, he added, it is very frustrating to see that they (lawyers) have become either counselor or facilitator of big corrupt persons.
"Now, I have reposed my confidence on journalists as I believe that they are the nation's last hope," Justice Khan said adding that the press as a whole has been playing a very praiseworthy role in this crucial moment.
Journalism should be developed as a highly dignified profession in the greater national interest, he added.
"In the recent past, our officially designated investigating agencies failed to unearth clues of many incidents, but journalists have proved their worth in finding out facts", the former chairman of Bangladesh Press Council said.
The TAC chairman also said that his expectation of journalists was very high as they were doing their job with courage and honesty, immensely benefiting the society by their relentless service, which is rarely seen in other professions.
He urged the journalists to carry on their sacred responsibility fearlessly and with a missionary zeal in all spheres of national life to help root out corruption from the country. "I earnestly expect your presence with the mighty pen wherever corruption exists," he said.
In this regard, Justice Khan, also former chairman of the Seventh Wage Board for Journalists and Newspaper Employees, said the state should provide the journalists with all possible supports including modern training, higher level of education side by side with looking into their financial aspects in terms of salary and other benefits.