96pc of 76,043 info seekers served
Armed with the right to information (RTI) act, 76,043 people have sought information from different organisations in five years since 2010 and 96.46 percent of them got it, stated Chief Information Commissioner Dr M Golam Rahman yesterday.
He said the act, allowing citizens to access information of any organisation of the country, makes ensuring transparency and accountability possible and reduces corruption.
Golam was addressing a press briefing the information ministry organised in the capital's Press Information Department to publicise government programmes marking the Right to Information Day 2016 today.
Meanwhile, Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman in a statement expressed deep concern over formulation of laws and guidelines contradictory to the act, which should have been prioritised to ensure freedom of speech and free flow of information.
He said the act's spirit might be damaged as the national broadcasting policy, article 57 and proposed digital security act have some elements curtailing free flow of information and freedom of speech.
Iftekharuzzaman urged to the government to create a proper atmosphere for implementing the act properly.
Addressing the briefing, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said tendency to use the act was low among journalists and 2,000 of them have been trained with the commission's assistance.
He said 240 of 336 complaints, filed by general people (67 percent), journalists (17pc), service holders (10pc), teachers (3pc) and lawyers (2pc) and freedom fighters (1pc), with the commission in 2015 were accepted for hearing.
Comments