We need a ‘public interest override’ in the RTI Act
Public interest should be the yardstick when balancing citizens' right to information concerning governance and state need to safeguard sensitive information.
1w ago
Time to put the RTI Act on the right track
The success of the RTI Act anywhere in the world largely depends on the determination and commitment of the citizens to put it to practical use.
1m ago
101 of the RTI Act for Bangladesh's youth activists
Bangladesh's RTI law is the best law to utilise in making a new Bangladesh where people's power reigns supreme in the true sense of the term.
2m ago
Right to information: Time for the sunshine law
Now is the opportunity for our youth to lead us in using existing laws to build a better country.
3m ago
RTI kept alive by rural, semi-urban citizens
In Bangladesh, those at the grassroots level with little knowledge about the intricacies of governance have found the RTI law useful and convenient.
5m ago
Citizens must use RTI Act to its full potential
The use of the RTI Act is not merely to focus on government work, but to operationalise good governance too.
5m ago
Right to information takes centre stage in Indian elections
The Indian Supreme Court's recent decision on electoral bonds underline the importance of citizens' role in exercising their right to information as watchdogs of good governance.
6m ago
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
7m ago
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?
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.
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