Prime minister’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi today called upon all to stay alert against those in the government who propagate corruption.

Dr Rizvi was speaking at an award giving programme on TIB Investigative Journalism Awards-2017 organised by Transparency International, Bangladesh at its Dhanmondi office in Dhaka.

“Poverty can never be alleviated from a country where there is corruption, and therefore we have to stay alert against those people as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given clear instruction that we have to alleviate poverty from Bangladesh,” Dr Rizvi said.

“Those in the government who create obstacles for investigative journalism, they do so for their self interests, and not under any directive from the government,” he added.

Former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, also a trustee board member of TIB, said there is no congenial environment to facilitate investigative journalism.

“It is very difficult for a journalist to work on an investigative report,” Huda said.

TIB Investigative Journalism Awards-2017

Nine journalists from daily Prothom Alo, daily Purbanchal from Khulna, Maasranga TV, Independent TV, and Jamuna TV were awarded in the programme.