Md Mahabub Alam :
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has limited journalists’ access to its head office, without assigning any reason thereof.
The ACC’s restriction has created lots of problems for the journalists to collect information about graft matters. When this correspondent drew the attention of Mohammad Shahabuddin Chuppu, he refused to talk about the matter.
An officer wishing anonymity told The New Nation that some journalists used to enter the rooms of many officials and flashed important information before the conclusion
of any investigation. It has affected ACC’s activity.
However, source says that the sanction relates to the ACC’s objective of hiding information about graft matters during investigation and other procedures.
According to the notice, journalists can now enter the office between 3:00pm and 4:00pm, signing record book against his name at ACC’s Reception. After that a newsman will be required to talk with the Public Relation Officer (PRO) for permission, giving details of the purpose of his visit and with whom.
The new system has been complicated, as most of the officials and executives when contacted over phone, do not agree to give interview.
A reporter of an online news agency told The New Nation, ‘if we (journalists) do not get easy access to the ACC office, it will be hard for us to carry out professional job there’.
Another journalist said, the ACC authorities imposed sanction on the journalists at such a time when they are dealing with a number of cases.
