Investigative journalism centre launched

Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad speaks at the launching ceremony of a US-funded investigative journalism centre in the city yesterday. On his left are Manjur Hasan, Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury, Denise Rollins and Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman.Photo: STAR

Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad yesterday called on investigative journalists to provide information about BDR mutiny, if they can find any, to help investigation committees establish the motive behind such incident.
He said this at the launching ceremony of a US-funded investigative journalism centre in the city yesterday.
The Journalism Training and Research Initiative (JATRI) at Brac University's Institute of Governance Studies will develop and promote investigative journalism.
The US government, through USAID, supports JATRI as part of the $18 million Promoting Governance, Accountability, Transparency and Integrity (PROGATI) project.
The minister also said that as owning newspaper nowadays requires nothing related to journalism but money, very few journalists are found dedicated to their profession and following professional ethics.
"Nowadays, it has become a regular phenomenon that whenever a man manages to have some money, he or she wants to own a media house, either it be newspaper or television channel or radio station," he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Editor of the Prothom Alo Matiur Rahman said a reader, whichever party he or she supports, does not like to read a newspaper that acts like a mouthpiece of any political party.
Vice Chancellor of Brac University Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury and USAID Mission Director Denise Rollins also spoke at the launching ceremony.
The JATRI will be developed as an advanced centre for training, analysis and education on investigative journalism.
It will offer training to journalists on a range of topics, conduct research, award fellowship and hold discussion on different issues of journalism.