Journos lack interest

Three years past its enactment, the Right to Information (RTI) Act's use is very low among journalists due to a lack of interest and awareness, said speakers at a roundtable yesterday.
Despite being a powerful tool for journalism, many journalists do not want to use the act over fears of getting stuck in bureaucratic tangles, since the act is a more formal and transparent process in providing information, they said.
The discussants stressed bringing a change in the mindset of journalists, media policy makers and the officials concerned and encouraging journalists to do more investigative reporting using the act, they said.
The Information Commission and civil society organisations must also play a major role in raising awareness about the act, they added.
Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) in partnership with Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) and Right to Information Forum organised the roundtable, “Role of journalists in using and expanding RTI Act”, in the capital's Brac Centre Inn.
Maasranga Television Chief News Editor Rezwanul Haque Raza said most television channels remain stuck in day-to-day events, putting less focus on investigative reporting.
Desh TV Joint Editor Shukanta Gupta Alok said the tendency of giving the least amount of effort while practicing journalism was one reason holding journalists back from digging deeper into incidents.
In his keynote, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman stressed the need for an RTI-friendly media and editorial policy and introducing an RTI page or corner and hotline to inform the public about the act, its applications and benefits.
Information Commissioner Prof Sadeka Halim said despite logistic and manpower limitations, the commission so far raised awareness campaigns on the act in 54 districts.
She said the commission had only three commissioners for the country's 16 crore people and should be expanded. “The commission should have a mixed team of different professionals,” she said.
CJA Secretary General and Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shyamal Dutta moderated the roundtable while President Emeritus of International Committee of CJA Hasan Shahriar, CJA President and Associated Press in Dhaka Bureau Chief Farid Hossain and MRDI Executive Director Hasibur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.