Maximum disclosure of info must for good governance
Maximum disclosure of information of public interest would help create an accountable, transparent and effective governing system, said speakers at a programme yesterday.
"If we knew that we have to provide information on certain matters then we would refrain from activities for which we would be answerable and face embarrassment later," said Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, the cabinet secretary, giving an example of how disclosure of public information could check corruption.
The discussion programme titled "Need and Significance of Information Disclosure Policy (IDP)" was organised by Management and Resource Development Initiative (MRDI) in association with Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), and the Information Commission at the capital's Bangbabandhu International Conference Centre, where a publication, containing a set of proposed policies and guidelines, was handed over to the cabinet secretary .
"People have the right to know how tax payers' money is spent," said Shaheen Anam, executive director of MJF, adding that even NGOs should be 100 percent accountable, disclosing their funding sources and expenditure areas. Though the Right to Information (RTI) Act was enacted in 2009 and the Bangladeshi legislation ranked 18th in terms of standard among 104 countries with RTI laws, the country lagged behind in implementation, said Mohd Nazrul Islam, secretary to the cabinet division.
Chief Information Commissioner Mohammed Farooq said many of the complaints the commission received involved lack of awareness of designated government officer about which information he or she could provide without permission from higher authorities.
"Many of these complaints could have been resolved at grassroots instead of coming to us," he said, highlighting the importance of developing ministry and department-wise guidelines on information disclosure for government officers.
A project to develop such guidelines for five ministries and 42 departments was taken up by MRDI two years ago in partnership with the Information Commission with support from MJF, said Hasibur Rahman, executive director of MRDI.
Out of 47 IDPs, 43 were completed, three were in the process of approval and one had yet to be finalised, he said.
"IDP of each ministry or department clearly mentions which information can be given out proactively, which on request, which on partial request, and the ones which cannot be disclosed," Hasibur later explained over the phone.
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office Md Abul Kalam Azad and information commissioners -- Nepal Chandra Sarker and Prof Khurshida Begum Sayeed -- also spoke.
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