Int’l Right to Know Day today
International Right to Know Day will be observed today in the country as elsewhere across the world.
This year’s theme of the day is “Information everyone’s right: None will be left behind”.
International Right to Know Day was proposed on September 28, 2002 at a meeting of freedom of information organisations from around the world in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Marking the day, different programmes have been taken by the government across the country.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day.
President Hamid, in his message, said, “Access to information is the right of every citizen.”
The constitution of Bangladesh has enshrined the right to information as an indispensable part of freedom of thought and conscience, the president added.
The government, he said, has formulated the Right to Information Act, 2009 giving priority to people’s right to know and constituted Information Commission to implement the act.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said information is an important component for empowerment of people.
“Showing respect to citizens’ right to information, we passed the Right to Information Act 2009 in the first session of 9th Jatiya Sangsad. Our government has constituted Information Commission under the act,” she added.
As a result, the prime minister said, the right to get information for people and the media has been established and it accelerates people’s empowerment.
The government has played a pioneering role in ensuring information services of people by optimum utilisation of modern technology, she added.
“We approved private satellite television for the first time during our 1996-2001 tenure,” the premier said, adding that alongside BTV, BTV World and Sangsad Television, her government granted licences to 45 private TV channels, 28 FM radios and 32 community radio stations.
The establishment of Sangsad Television has made it easier to reach the activities of the national parliament, she said.
“We have launched 4G service and have taken initiative to launch 5G,” she said.
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