Call to review Right to Information Ordinance
FE Report | Friday, 25 July 2008
The newly-launched Right to Information Forum has expressed concern over some significant weaknesses in the Right to Information Ordinance presently being considered by the government for enactment, and called upon the government to review it involving representatives of the forum.
A number of leading non-government organisations and individuals have launched the "Right to Information Forum" to work with the government and other stakeholders to expedite proper enactment and to implement the Right to Information Ordinance 2008, as well as to establish Right to Information as a means of ensuring good governance at all levels, said a press release.
The forum was formed at a meeting held at Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) office in Dhaka recently. 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 Bangladesh.
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.
They 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 upon the government that they should enact a law that would not act as an obstacle to people's access to information.
They further called upon the Government to review the ordinance, especially the above three areas of concern, on which they offered to work with the appropriate authorities of the Government 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 Media, human rights and women organizations endorsed the statement as members of the forum.
A number of leading non-government organisations and individuals have launched the "Right to Information Forum" to work with the government and other stakeholders to expedite proper enactment and to implement the Right to Information Ordinance 2008, as well as to establish Right to Information as a means of ensuring good governance at all levels, said a press release.
The forum was formed at a meeting held at Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) office in Dhaka recently. 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 Bangladesh.
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.
They 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 upon the government that they should enact a law that would not act as an obstacle to people's access to information.
They further called upon the Government to review the ordinance, especially the above three areas of concern, on which they offered to work with the appropriate authorities of the Government 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 Media, human rights and women organizations endorsed the statement as members of the forum.