Govt plans to amend Official Secrets Act, 1923
Law Minister Moudud Ahmed yesterday said the government is considering to amend the Official Secrets Act, 1923 to uphold people's right to information.
"We have no plan to include any restrictive clause in the existing Official Secrets Act, but to make the old law up-to-date," he said while addressing a seminar in the city.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The seminar on the 'Right to Information' was organised by Dhaka University Journalists' Association at the TSC auditorium as part of its yearly event.
About the demand of enacting Right to Information Act, the minister said, "We are now scrutinising the law commission's review report on its draft. A pre-legislative consultation involving all stakeholders is also necessary before enacting the law."
Supporting the necessity of Right to Information act Moudud said, "National security is a different matter, but why there will be a secrecy about the management of the government, like how it processes a tender."
He, however, said, "Our neighbour India has no such law on right to information and what Pakistan did recently in this regard is a very weak law."
The minister observed that the current parliament is not fully active although laws are being passed there.
"It (parliament) is not fully active in a sense that opposition is not participating in the parliamentary proceedings to make the government accountable," he said, adding "In absence of a responsible opposition, media has been making the government accountable everyday."
He suggested the newsmen to focus on achievements of Bangladesh in areas like increase of food production, and reduction of mortality rate and death rate of children.
Prof Wahiuddin Mahmud, noted economist, said people don't know how the government is running due to lack of right to information.
He said through providing information the government can empower people.
Dhaka University Vice-chancellor Prof SMA Faiz said some newspapers laid emphasis on their own policies rather than presenting correct information. Even captions of news photos sometimes bring wrong information, he added.
Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, executive editor of the daily Sangbad, presented the keynote paper at the seminar describing in details the laws that restrict people's right to know.
National Press Club General Secretary Shawkat Mahmud criticised the major political parties for not mentioning anything about the right to information in their electoral manifestos.
"Political parties are not vocal enough to ensure legislative guarantee of the right to information," he said.
"Journalists are also facing different types of persecution including killing for providing information to people," Shawkat added.
Gaziul Hasan Khan, chief editor and managing director of the state-owned Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, said irresponsible journalism has been developing in Bangladesh.
"What we are witnessing is not true journalism," he said adding, "Journalists have the right to know but that doesn't mean that they will distort information."
Deputy Editor of the daily Jugantor Shahjahan Sarder also spoke on the occasion.
Chaired by DUJA President Nurul Karim Bhuiyan, the seminar was conducted by its General Secretary Hasan Jahid Tusher.
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