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.
RTI Act is on life support
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Shamsul Bari and Ruhi Naz
Right to Information (RTI) Act in Bangladesh is in danger. We have had no information commissioner to implement the RTI Act for six months. Now, another ominous development looms large—the suspension and likely termination of US government-funded projects in the country following executive orders of US President Donald Trump. RTI projects are included.
However, this allows the nation to reflect on and act upon open governance, the main objective of RTI law. This is of such tremendous national importance that its advancement should not depend upon foreign funding. As the prime movers of the law, citizens of the country have kept it alive since its adoption 16 years ago. Alternative arrangements must be found for them to continue this important task.
Our youth who spearheaded the July 2024 uprising in the country, bringing new hope for the people, can use RTI to further their objectives. The formation of the new National Citizens Party (NCP) by them raises hope. Their commitment to the law may inspire other political parties—which have shown little or no interest so far—to follow suit.
Appoint missing commissioners to keep RTI Act alive
Sunday, February 16, 2025
Shamsul Bari and Ruhi Naz
Soon after the interim government assumed power six months ago, the three Information Commissioner posts in Bangladesh became vacant. Without the commissioners, the Information Commission itself—the pivot of the Right to Information (RTI) regime—becomes dysfunctional. Citizens seeking information and the authorities providing it find themselves in limbo. In the absence of the Information Commission monitoring their work, government officials feel less inclined to respond to citizens’ information requests, who, in turn, question whether it is worth pursuing a request. As a result, the entire RTI Act withers, along with the concept of citizens’ right to monitor the government’s work to improve governance. This development contradicts the aspirations of the country’s youth, who helped bring the interim government to power.
To obtain a clearer picture of the ground realities, we consulted different groups in the country engaged in promoting and using the RTI Act. Though not a scientific method, the process confirmed our fears. The following are some of our findings, albeit anecdotal.
It’s time our youth used their right to information
January 15, 2025
Shamsul Bari and Ruhi Naz
More than five months after the interim government took office in Bangladesh, our youth who spearheaded this change appear to have not yet discovered the country’s Right to Information (RTI) Act, the only instrument available to citizens to probe the work of government offices. Yet, this is a readily available tool for them to create the changes in governance that they wish to see.
NGOs and activists still promoting the RTI law, however, tell us there have been recent indications of interest among youths in exercising the law. For this budding
interest to turn into action, more of them must come forward, and the vacant information commissioner posts must be filled. Here are some examples to help our
youth understand the importance of the RTI law.
The first example, dating back to 2010, relates to one of the earliest RTI requests in the country. It was submitted by the Bangladesh Environmental Law Association
(BELA), of which Syeda Rizwana Hasan, an adviser to the interim government, was the executive director. Information was sought from Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), the city development authority, on the construction of a high-rise building on Hatirjheel Lake in Dhaka, known as the BGMEA Tower
Right to information is meaningless without information commissioners
December 15, 2024
Shamsul Bari and Ruhi Naz
Over one hundred days have passed since an interim government took over the reins of power in Bangladesh, promising a more just, democratic, law-based, and discrimination-free society. Fulfilling such expectations is not easy, as the transition from the violent overthrow of the previous regime is challenging and time-consuming. The new government soon recognised that a priority area for its attention would be governance and restoring governmental authority to ensure a smooth transition.
The Right to Information (RTI) Act 2009 has rich potential to contribute to good governance at this critical moment in our history. There can be no better law to promote a collaborative interaction between public authorities and citizens for transparent and accountable governance. But it needs guiding hands.
Like many other institutions of governance in the country, the RTI regime was disrupted in the aftermath of the July-August mass uprising. Following the spate of resignations or forcible removal of high officials of key public bodies, the country’s three information commissioners also had to go. The Bangladesh RTI Commission was thus left rudderless and remains so till date. This must end quickly as citizens’ role in utilising the law to monitor the work of all public bodies is crucial at this critical juncture of the nation. The Information Commission must be reconstituted as a matter of priority. Read more
