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.
The information commission is a prime mover of the RTI Act
The Daily Star, Friday, September 15, 2023
Shamsul Bari and Ruhi Naz
The experiences of Sri Lanka and Pakistan are lessons for everyone concerned with promoting the right to information.
Last month, two new commissioners were appointed to the Information Commission of Bangladesh, filling positions that had been sitting empty for some time. A fully-functional commission is indispensable for balanced, impartial, and objective decision-making, particularly for adjudicating claims between disgruntled information seekers and recalcitrant public officials. We welcome the new commissioners and wish them well in advancing the Right to Information (RTI) Act, arguably the country’s most important citizen-friendly instrument to promote transparent and accountable governance. Examples from our neighbouring countries can lead the way for our commissioners. Read more
If your court case is stuck for lack of evidence, try RTI
The Daily Star, Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Shamsul Bari and Ruhi Naz
Indications of the growing maturity of RTI Act users and the increasing willingness of public officials to abide by its provisions are indeed welcome developments.
Rafiqul Islam, a madrasa teacher of Taraganj upazila in Rangpur district, was terminated from his job by the madrasa authorities in March 2014 for protesting against irregularities in the appointment of a teacher to a higher post (to which Rafiqul had also applied). In 2015, he filed a civil declaratory suit with the Assistant District Judge’s Court, challenging his termination. While his case remained pending, a certain Rezwanul Haque was appointed in his place. Read more
A law that can bring joy to citizens.
The Daily Star, Saturday, July 15, 2023
Shamsul Bari and Ruhi Naz
Today, we share some personal stories to show the power of law to warm the hearts of citizens who deign to use it. Often, we perceive law as something impersonal and removed from the individual, and we forget that at its heart, the law is human and personal.
Right to Information (RTI) activist Khairul Islam from Taraganj, Rangpur heard about some corrupt practices of the local Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB) office from his wife who worked there. It was related to the fixed deposit accounts of employees managed by the office. Read more
Why do we fail to utilise our Right to Information Act?
The Daily Star, Monday, June 15, 2023
Shamsul Bari and Ruhi Naz
Upon the adoption of Bangladesh’s Right to Information (RTI) Act in 2009, many had considered it the most revolutionary law of the land. But 14 years on, no large-scale scandals have been unearthed, no earth-shattering investigative journalism has shed light on major corruption. The NGOs, journalists, and civil society members who most celebrated the entry of the law hardly pay it any attention. The avowed objective of the RTI Act of “increasing transparency and accountability of public offices, decreasing corruption of the same and establishing good governance” remains a pipe dream. Read more
