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.
The RTI Act is a crucial tool for promoting transparency and accountability in Bangladesh.
The use of the RTI Act is not merely to focus on government work, but to operationalise good governance too.
The eruption of hostility surrounding the submission of a simple RTI request to a public official was uncalled for
The RTI law has been kept alive over the years largely through the efforts of a few dedicated NGOs and die-hard RTI activists.
In the last few months, we have received some very encouraging feedback from users of the RTI law about the Information Commission's work.
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
Through the RTI Commission of Sri Lanka, citizens could weight in on matters impacting the nation.
To the tremendous potential of the RTI Act, there are a handful of RTI activists and enthusiasts in Bangladesh who persevere to take the law forward with their zeal and determination.
Citizens’ right to monitor, probe and question the work of their governments is essential for democracy.
International observers who follow global trends on the progress of transparency and accountability instruments, such as Right to Information (RTI) or Freedom of Information (FOI), which have witnessed phenomenal growth in the last three decades, are often asked if the laws have fared well in their new abodes with varying levels of democratisation.
In the days before May 25, email users all over the world were bombarded with a barrage of electronic messages updating them on something called the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Observers claim that the number of messages dispatched by businesses throughout the world on the occasion might have surpassed those sent during Christmas or New Year. On that day, Europe became subject to the GDPR, a law aimed primarily at bringing outdated personal data laws across EU up to speed with the fast-moving digital era. GDPR has an impact far beyond Europe.
In the days to come, it is the work of the IC that will be under particular focus of international scrutiny, as it is easier to assess its performance against the provisions of the RTI law and emerging international standards.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wife Jashodaben files an RTI application with regional passport office seeking details about marriage-related documents Modi had submitted to get his passport when he was chief minister of Gujarat.
What is encouraging to note is that this time the government has come forward to break the culture of secrecy. That's why the RTI law has a provision of pro-active disclosure.
