There seem to be differences in response depending on the authorities’ location.
The interim government should encourage all public officials to respond diligently to the citizens’ RTI requests.
We can learn from how other countries in this region benefit from the law.
There appears to be a shift in the attitude of many public authorities towards the RTI Act.
Delay in reconstituting the Information Commission is hindering transparency and accountability.
Public interest should be the yardstick when balancing citizens' right to information concerning governance and state need to safeguard sensitive information.
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.
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.
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.
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.
International day for universal access to information this year comes at a time when the whole world is reeling from the greatest global crisis since World War II. The Covid-19 pandemic has spared no country over the last six months and shows no signs of abating.
September is an important month for Right to Information (RTI) buffs all over the world. They undertake various activities during the month to commemorate the International Right to Know Day on September 28 with two key focus points.
The relationship between governments and the people has been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in many countries.
The Covid-19 pandemic will be recorded as one of the most consequential events in human history. A small part of that history will relate to how governments interacted with their populations in responding to the crisis.
One of the institutional casualties of the global Covid-19 pandemic is people’s right to information.
The Covid-19 pandemic, sowing misery across the world, has thrown the role of the state into stark relief.
Our last column was focused on the multifarious use of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in the United States.
