Here's why:
* All living organisms have genetic material. This material, usually DNA, carries the instructions for the organism's structure, function, and development.
* Bacteria are living organisms. They are single-celled organisms, but they are still classified as living things.
* Bacterial DNA is located in a region called the nucleoid. It's not enclosed in a membrane like the nucleus in eukaryotic cells, but it's still present and essential for the bacterium's survival.
Therefore, saying bacterial cells don't have genetic material is a significant misconception.