RTI in textbooks soon

Manusher Jonno Foundation in association with Information Commission holds a view exchange meeting titled “Present state of the implementation of the Right to Information Act 2009 and role of non-government voluntary organisations” at the commission conference room in the city yesterday.Photo: STAR

The Right to Information Act (RTI) will be included in school textbooks of class eight and above, said Chief Information Commissioner Mohammad Zamir at a view exchange meeting yesterday.
“The education ministry has assured us that the issue would be included in the curriculum soon. And in this way we would have several lakhs of young people to be educated in RTI,” said Zamir.
The meeting titled “Present state of the implementation of the Right to Information Act 2009 and role of non-government voluntary organisations" was arranged by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) in association with Information Commission at the conference room of the commission in the morning.
Under the RTI act, it is mandatory for any government and non-government organisations to provide an individual with information once an individual asks for it except for some exceptions.
They said non-government organisations can play most important role in making mass people, specially who live in rural areas, aware about effective use of the law to reduce corruption.
Mentioning that a large number of designated officers is still unaware of RTI act, Information Commissioner Sadeka Halim said the commission should go for penalisation gradually unless the designated officers won't take the matter seriously.
“The government has taken an effective measure to ensure transparency and accountability by formulating the Right to Information Act. We hope the government would ensure use of the law in resolving big issues,” said MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam.
Speakers also pointed out inadequate facilities in offices required to provide people with required information and urged international donors and private organisations to come forward and help in this regard.
Information Commissioner Abu Taher, its secretary Nepal Chandra Sarker, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman, and former caretaker government adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury also spoke at the event.