Documentary on Information as Right: use of RTI Act by civil rights activists.
Documentary on Information as Right: use of RTI Act by civil rights activists- Click for Watch.
How RTI activists keep the law alive
Dec 15, 2025
‘It is equally fundamental that all political parties seeking a mandate to govern uphold and promote the RTI Act as a cornerstone of good governance and participatory democracy.’ FILE VISUAL: ANWAR SOHEL
The absence of Bangladesh’s three information commissioners—vacancies that, almost a year and a half on—have left the Right to Information (RTI) regime severely debilitated, with replacements still inexplicably pending. However, instead of lamenting about it today, let’s learn how the country’s dedicated RTI activists—our “RTI warriors”—are coping with the situation. Trained over the years by a handful of committed NGOs, these individuals are locally recognised for helping people use the law to promote transparency and oversight in governance. In the absence of a functioning information commission, their work has become riskier and more complex, demanding greater perseverance and strategic acuity.
Encouragingly, although some have grown disheartened and stepped back, a significant number continue with remarkable determination and tenacity. Rather than retreating in the face of bureaucratic inertia, these RTI warriors have adopted a strategy of persistence: signalling to public officials that—even without formal oversight—citizens remain vigilant, committed to monitoring public services, and prepared to demand accountability.
Reviving the RTI regime is essential for our democratic journey
Nov 15, 2025
FILE VISUAL: ANWAR SOHEL
Despite widespread public outcry for over a year, Bangladesh’s Right to Information (RTI) regime remains stuck in a deadlock. Its consequences are becoming harder to ignore. Frustration is mounting among those who have long supported the law and used it as a means to hold public authorities accountable. For more than fifteen years, civil society organisations have patiently nurtured a community of RTI users. Their numbers were never large, but their dedication kept the law alive. Through small, steady efforts, they showed all the power of disclosure and the democratic promise embedded in the RTI Act.
Are our political parties ready for transparency and accountability?
Oct 15, 2025
FILE VISUAL: SHAIKH SULTANA JAHAN BADHON
An encouraging outcome of the protracted crisis confronting Bangladesh’s right to information (RTI) regime over the past year has been the growing attention the law has received from concerned citizens and civil society leaders. The July 2024 uprising further amplified the debates.
Out of this moment has emerged a clear public demand: to explicitly include political parties within the RTI Act’s definition of “public authorities.” Such inclusion is contested in most jurisdictions, most notably in neighbouring India, precisely because it would subject political parties, like other public-serving bodies, to statutory record-keeping and disclosure obligations. Unsurprisingly, many parties resist this expansion, wary that their internal records, finances, and decision-making processes could be scrutinised under the law.
A year of silence from the Information Commission
Sept 28, 2025
This year’s International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) arrives at a grim moment for Bangladesh. The Information Commission—the very body entrusted with upholding citizens’ access to public information—has been essentially inactive for over a year. One may recall that all three commissioners resigned in the aftermath of the 2024 July uprising and the assumption of power by the interim government. Since then, despite petitions, protests, and even a recent High Court rule, the vacuum has persisted. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has also failed to act on its own pledge in late July to reconstitute the commission by issuing a gazette notification “within a few days.”
Undoubtedly, the interim authorities face a daunting list of priorities. But the Right to Information Act, 2009 is not just another law. Unlike most legislation, which expands the authority of the state, this act empowers the citizens. It flips the balance of power by compelling public offices to disclose information long hidden from view. In doing so, it offers transparency where opacity has been the norm.
