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
3w 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
2m 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.
5m 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
6m 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.
7m 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.
8m ago
August 14, 2021
How RTI regimes are faring in South Asia
The Covid-19 pandemic will be remembered for the colossal chaos it caused to governments as they grappled—and continue to do—with its catastrophic onslaught affecting lives and livelihoods across the globe.
July 15, 2021
Only ‘We, the People’ can unleash the full potential of RTI law
Bangladesh has long been known for the political activism of its citizens, ready to fight for their rights and defend their freedom.
June 15, 2021
Finding a balance between official secrecy and citizens’ right to information
“We see all governments as obscure and invisible,” said Sir Francis Bacon, English philosopher and statesman, in 1605.
April 16, 2021
Revisiting the role of RTI for sustainable development
We must not forget that we cannot bring good fortune for the people if our characters do not change! By rising above nepotism, corruption and self-deception, all of us have to be engaged in self-criticism, self-restraint, and self-purification.”
March 15, 2021
RTI: All three branches of government fall within its ambit
The deleterious impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the operations of the Right to Information (RTI) Act has been much discussed in the last one year. We drew attention to it in several of our columns.
February 15, 2021
The widening range of RTI use in Bangladesh
Jamaluddin of Dinajpur had learnt at a training session that the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2009 of Bangladesh was enacted to provide a legal basis for citizens to exercise their rights as “owners of all powers of the Republic”.
January 15, 2021
How citizen engagement with RTI law is transforming lives
During the construction work of a regional highway in Dinajpur, local inhabitants were increasingly bothered by the dust it generated.
December 15, 2020
A clarion call for civil society to make the RTI Act a success
Most countries of the world have moved in the past 50 years from the age-old practice of government secrecy towards making their work largely accessible by the public through Right to Information (RTI) or Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation.
November 15, 2020
RTI in Bangladesh
Reva Rani of Taraganj Upazila of Rangpur District was determined to bring electricity to her home. But, all her efforts, including payment of “speed money”, failed.
October 15, 2020
We need an independent and neutral Information Commission
From its onset in early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has damaged trust in governments. As governments fumbled with different approaches, citizens’ distrust of them increased in tandem. Allegations of misinformation, disinformation and lack of information polluted the atmosphere.
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