Hi Emily,
I’m a student in your International Reporting class. I would like to do a story on the corruption surrounding and within Bangladesh’s government, which specifically impacts the country’s press freedoms as well as labor rights. I think the issue featured in this story is very important and the local angle of what Bengali immigrants think of BD’s government ought to be covered.
According to Transparency International’s corruption percentage index of 2016, Bangladesh was ranked 145 of 176 of countries in terms of their corruption index (176 being the most corrupt country, Somalia). Additionally, also on Transparency International was Bangladesh’s territory score- which was 26 out of 100. Territory score on the site is indicative of “the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean)” (Transparency.org)
But why does this matter? For starters, Bangladesh is one of the US’ greatest allies in South Asia. According to the US Trades Representative site, extensive trade occurs between America and Bangladesh in the exports of textile goods, agricultural products, and iron and steel. Additionally, the US is Bangladesh’s largest export market and both countries actively take on roles of combatting extremism.
However, despite their good trade relations and the economic support the US gives to Bangladesh, the country still faces “infrastructure shortcomings, weak governance structures, and a need for greater investment in human capital,” according to the US Dept. of State website. Bangladesh also struggles with its high population density and internal violence from extremist forces.
While creating my first beat memo for Bangladesh, I came across a BBC article describing Bangladesh’s media as “highly polarized”. As it turns out, many of the country’s news agencies align themselves with the different major political groups and reflect their reporting accordingly. I also found that NGO; Freedom House updated the status of Bangladesh’s press freedom status from “Partly Free” to “Not Free” in 2016. According to the webpage, the change was made “due to the murders of four bloggers and a publisher by Islamist militants, threats and nonfatal attacks against other writers, continued legal harassment of media outlets and press freedom advocates and government sanctioned economic pressures on outlet to censor social media.”
I believe that the current condition of BD’s press freedom ties into corruption in its government and aim to get the opinions of local residents on this subject.
Also, in 2014 the Bangladesh government issued a national policy where all TV and radio shows that broadcasted any material deemed harmful to the images of law enforcement and armed forces were banned. This was an interesting find, because this information corresponds to the information I got out of an interview with a Bengali immigrant, regarding the country’s government.
So far, I had an interview with 21 year old Rifat Hasnat, who was born in the capital and largest city in Bangladesh, Dhaka. There, he spent his childhood and most of his adolescent life until he and his family immigrated to New York when he was 13.
Rifat was very outspoken in his opinions when asked about Bangladesh’s government.
“I just feel like pretty much everything in BD works via bribing,” he said. “I’m sure that happens in a lot of other countries, but it’s just so extreme in BD…”
In addition to Rifat, I also plan to speak with both of his parents, where Rifat will fill in as my translator. I will also speak with the familial and friends-references that Rifat and his parents have agreed to provide me.
I want to gather more information on instances of corruption in BD’s government, with regards to press freedom and labor conditions, and get the opinions of local Bengali immigrants on this topic. I plan to compile this into a print story.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
-Brandon A