Using RTI as a strategic tool

There is universal recognition that human rights, including the vital right to information, is central to good governance. The right to information also has an 'umbilical' relationship with promoting democracy. In a democracy, people must know everything that stand to affect them so that they can voice their opinion about these things or even oppose them if these are found to be against their true interests. In this context, participants from Bangladesh and abroad, in a roundtable organised last Saturday in Dhaka, discussed their experiences about right to information (RTI)-related legislation. They shared the opinion that RTI acts can be used as strategic tools by investigative media persons to promote transparency and unveil corruption, leading to better governance and development. Bangladesh passed a legislation in its parliament titled the Right to Information (RTI) Act on March 29, 2009, thus joining the ranks of countries with a progressive law. Bangladesh had long suffered from not having such an act in place that only aided governmental institutions here plus the judiciary and the parliament, to cling to their culture of secrecy, denying people the right to know all information about activities that often have great consequences for them. However, it is doubtful that much has been actually achieved in the two years after the introduction of the RTI Act in Bangladesh. For, in the absence of vigorous follow-up activities, it is proving to be just one of those hopeful steps to be frustrated for reasons of not establishing as well the mechanisms to properly enforce it. The RTI Act led to an information commission to make the necessary rules and regulations and establish procedures for obtaining redress under the Act. But this commission is not yet effectively operational in the fullest sense of the term, though not necessarily because of any inefficiency and incompetence on the part of those who are at the helm. This body has not yet been provided with adequate funds, manpower and other logistical facilities to take on effective tasks to be able to facilitate the implementation of the RTI Act. Only a very small section of the well informed elite are aware of the legislation. It is largely unknown to more than 80 per cent of the people of the country. But the RTI Act has much potential to promote transparent and accountable development activities. The government spends a big amount for development work like building infrastructures, where there is much scope for corruption and misuse of funds. It is possible to reduce corruption and utilize the development funds in a more efficient way if people's access to information can be ensured. Utilization of RTI law as a development tool can, at least, ensure that people know all information about the development projects, the amount available and how the money is being spent. Policy-makers must have the political will to implement the RTI Act in an effective way and tackle the operational challenges of the law. The information commission needs to be strengthened. The law still spares a number of areas where the authorities are not obliged to disclose information on grounds of national security. Without compromising the vaguely-defined "national security" in actual terms such areas of exemption should be further reduced. Government should allocate a special fund in the national budget for RTI Act implementation and functioning of the information commission. Furthermore, the role of the media needs to be identified in detail through discussion so that it can be used as a tool to ensure effective implementation of the RTI Act and its utilization in development work.