Seek more info from govt: Speakers
The government is planning to increase manpower of the Information Commission to facilitate people getting information quickly, said Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu yesterday.
“The number of commissioners will also be increased,” he said, adding that a proposal will be sent to the Prime Minister's Office for its implementation.
The minister was addressing a discussion marking “International Day for the Universal Access to Information”, organised by Information Commission at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Since 2016, the day has been observed worldwide on September 28.
Inu said the Right to Information (RTI) Act has empowered people to make the government and its executive division accountable.
“The government uses laws that are related to penal code, applied against the countrymen. But the RTI act is different as it gives power to people to use it against the government,” he said.
The minister also requested all not to misuse information.
Terming the RTI act a revolutionary one, Convener of Right to Information Forum Shaheen Anam said the act enables people to apply their rights as citizens.
She encouraged all to seek more information from the government for the sake of good governance.
“We have numerous examples of how poor people get benefitted using the RTI act,” she added.
Although it has been said again and again that information cannot not be suppressed except in some special circumstances, respective officers often try not to give proper information to people, she said.
Asking people to use the RTI act vigorously, Chief Information Commissioner Martuza Ahmed said people are yet to reap the full benefit of the law, even after 10 years since its formulation.
Information commissioners Suraiya Begum and Nepal Chandra Sarker also addressed the discussion.
The Information Commission also awarded government employees for serving people by providing them with information.
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