Reviving RTI: A test for the new government
Feb 15, 2026
By Shamsul Bari and Ruhi Naz
FILE VISUAL: ANWAR SOHEL
The long-anticipated and widely speculated national election has concluded. Contrary to many
predictions, voters delivered a decisive mandate to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
People’s participation signals their endorsement of a platform framed around institutional
stability, rational governance, and inclusivity. The party leadership has reiterated its commitment
to strengthening the rule of law and combating corruption—priorities that, if pursued
consistently and with integrity, will shape both the credibility and durability of the incoming
administration.
The result also holds significant implications for the future of the Right to Information (RTI)
regime in Bangladesh. The year and a half of the interim government (IG) elicited both praise
and criticism for reasons widely known. For many who viewed the July 2024 uprising—driven
largely by a politically awakened younger generation—as a turning point aimed at restoring
popular sovereignty and revitalising democratic institutions, the IG’s record on transparency and
accountability proved deeply disappointing
