The real cost of an absent information commission
June 15, 2026
Shamsul Bari and Ruhi Naz
FILE VISUAL: SHAIKH SULTANA JAHAN BADHON
It may sound like a broken gramophone record for us to continue lamenting the absence of the chief information commissioner and two information commissioners in Bangladesh since September 2024, following the political transition after the July uprising. We make no apology for doing so. Their absence has rendered the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2009 largely ineffective, depriving citizens of one of the most important legal instruments for promoting transparency and accountability. We persist because we believe the RTI Act has enormous potential to strengthen democracy by enabling citizens to play a meaningful role in promoting transparent, accountable and responsive governance. That potential makes the present vacancies all the more troubling.
