'Review draft RTI Ordn'
The newly launched Right to Information Forum has expressed concern over some significant weaknesses in the Right to Information (RTI) Ordinance 2008 presently being considered by the government for enactment, says a press release.
The Forum also called upon the government to review the ordinance involving its representatives.
A number of leading non-government organisations and individuals have launched the Forum to work with the government and other stakeholders to expedite proper enactment and implementation of the RTI Ordinance as well as to establish the right to information as a means of ensuring good governance at all levels.
The Forum was formed at a meeting held at Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) office in Dhaka this week. MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam was elected convener of the Forum, with MJF as its secretariat. The Forum will welcome all organisations and individuals striving to ensure citizens' right to information as the key to good governance in the country.
The Forum congratulated the government for its initiative to enact the RTI Ordinance.
At the same time, they expressed deep concern over some of its shortcomings. Members of the forum noted with disappointment that in the present draft Ordinance, the office and status of the Information Commission and its Commissioners have been rendered very weak and vague, which will impede the process and potential of enforcement of the Act.
They were equally concerned that the Act has made only a limited scope to obtain information from Union Parishads.
The Forum also expressed grave concern that the exemption list was too long and in many ways non-specific, which could provide the scope of subjective interpretation of requests for information.
Members of the Forum called on the government to enact a law that would not act as an obstacle to people's access to information.
They also urged the government to review the ordinance, especially the three areas of concern, and offered to work with the appropriate authorities with fully open mind.
Representatives from Brac, BILS, Breaking the Silence, BNWLA, BNNRC, Coast Trust, CPD, Change Makers, MRDI, MMC, MJF, NFOWD, Nijera Kori, PET, Rupantor, RIC, Shamunnay, Steps Towards Development, The Economic Times, The Hunger Project, TIB and a number of individuals representing the media, human rights and women's organisations endorsed the statement as members of the Forum.
Civil society organisations and individuals have been carrying out a campaign for the enactment of the right to information law since 2005 and a draft law was submitted to the caretaker government in 2007.
Finally, the Council of Advisers in a meeting on June 18, 2008, approved the revised draft law in principle. The law is now awaiting final approval by the government.
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