Arrest and imprisonment of journalist over RTI request is ominous
The eruption of hostility surrounding the submission of a simple RTI request to a public official was uncalled for
1w ago
There is so much more to the RTI Act
Clearly, most citizens are unaware of the tremendous bounties the RTI Act has to offer
1m ago
Reassuring stories of progress
The RTI law has been kept alive over the years largely through the efforts of a few dedicated NGOs and die-hard RTI activists.
2m ago
RTI can help our new government fulfil its election pledges
As governments become more adept at manipulating democratic institutions to advance their own goals, mechanisms have evolved to curb such tendencies, such as “right to information” or “freedom of information” laws.
3m ago
Our Information Commission has mettle after all
In the last few months, we have received some very encouraging feedback from users of the RTI law about the Information Commission's work.
4m ago
RTI unearths discrimination against female students
Bangladesh’s High Court has asked the authorities of a public university to allow pregnant and married female students to remain in the dormitories for the time being
5m ago
How right to information helped Sri Lanka manage its crisis
Through the RTI Commission of Sri Lanka, citizens could weight in on matters impacting the nation.
6m ago
The information commission is a prime mover of the RTI Act
The experiences of Sri Lanka and Pakistan are lessons for everyone concerned with promoting the right to information.
7m ago
June 15, 2022
Right to information in the age of authoritarianism
As authoritarianism creeps in across the world, the ideals of participatory democracy and representative governance have taken a back seat once again in many countries.
May 15, 2022
The darker side of RTI in Bangladesh
Today, we turn away from the positive and encouraging side of the Right to Information movement in Bangladesh, depicted in our previous column (The Daily Star, April 16, 2022), to peer into the shadows.
April 16, 2022
Untold tales of RTI successes
Today, we present tales that have been gathered from ordinary Bangladeshis.
March 15, 2022
People's right to know v. Official secrecy: Can the former triumph?
The Information Commission of Bangladesh delivered a much-awaited decision on March 8, 2022, and a much-needed shot in the arm of the right to information (RTI) regime in Bangladesh.
February 15, 2022
Let’s not consign our RTI law to cold storage
The title of our column today is inspired by an editorial in Prothom Alo, a popular Bangla national daily in Bangladesh, published on February 5, 2022.
January 15, 2022
RTI can contribute to government accountability
Efforts to limit the ruler’s authority over the ruled is as old as human history. It is a subject that has occupied the minds of social thinkers and philosophers of all major civilisations since ancient times.
December 19, 2021
The RTI Act works
The importance of a robust Right to Information (RTI) regime for a healthy and vibrant democracy is universally recognised.
November 15, 2021
Success of the RTI Act relies on an effective Information Commission
The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2009 is made of interlocking parts.
October 15, 2021
Active citizenship is also key to the success of RTI
Last month marked the International Right to Know Day. From the few seminars and webinars arranged on the occasion, it was evident that even 12 years after the Right to Information (RTI) Act was enacted in Bangladesh, we are still largely preoccupied with how to spread awareness about the law.
September 15, 2021
More citizens are exercising their right to information. We must keep it up.
he International Right to Know Day will be commemorated on September 28. By adopting Right to Information (RTI) or Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, governments recognise their citizens’ power to demand transparency and accountability about their work. Bangladesh enacted the Right to Information Act in 2009. How did that law fare last year?
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