RTI Forum urges govt to accelerate action to empower people with information

Right to Information Forum Bangladesh on Sunday called upon the government to accelerate actions at every level involving all stakeholders to fulfill the true spirit of the RTI Act 2009 and improving governance in the country, reports UNB.

In a statement issued on the eve of Right to Know Day today (Monday), which will also be observed globally as International Day for Universal Access to Information, RTI Forum said the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that right to information strengthens access to health, education, ensure justice and contributes towards reducing inequalities.

"During the ongoing pandemic it was seen that the relationship between the government and the people has been badly affected because of lack of interaction between the government of Bangladesh and its citizens," the statement said.

RTI Acts can help the government reduce citizens' concerns about their actions, empower citizens and hold duty-bearers accountable in times of crisis.

The Forum strongly believes that the joint collaborative efforts of the government, CSOs, academics, media and people around RTI issues can save lives, build trust and instill hope during times of crises like Covid-19.

Appreciating progress made so far in the implementation of RTI Act 2009, RTI Forum emphasised that these achievements need to be sustained and scaled-up.

"This will eventually result in increased transparency, enhanced accountability and improved service delivery to the citizens of Bangladesh."