Shamsul Bari

Political parties argue that they lie outside the RTI Act’s purview, not being obliged to respond to citizens’ RTI requests.

Restoring the Information Commission is not optional; it is a constitutional duty.

Election announcement and RTI act draft amendment bring hope.

There seem to be differences in response depending on the authorities’ location.

The interim government should encourage all public officials to respond diligently to the citizens’ RTI requests.

We can learn from how other countries in this region benefit from the law.

Right to Information (RTI) Act in Bangladesh is in danger.

There appears to be a shift in the attitude of many public authorities towards the RTI Act.

Delay in reconstituting the Information Commission is hindering transparency and accountability.

Public interest should be the yardstick when balancing citizens' right to information concerning governance and state need to safeguard sensitive information.

The success of the RTI Act anywhere in the world largely depends on the determination and commitment of the citizens to put it to practical use.

Bangladesh's RTI law is the best law to utilise in making a new Bangladesh where people's power reigns supreme in the true sense of the term.

Now is the opportunity for our youth to lead us in using existing laws to build a better country.

In Bangladesh, those at the grassroots level with little knowledge about the intricacies of governance have found the RTI law useful and convenient.

The use of the RTI Act is not merely to focus on government work, but to operationalise good governance too.

The Indian Supreme Court's recent decision on electoral bonds underline the importance of citizens' role in exercising their right to information as watchdogs of good governance.

The eruption of hostility surrounding the submission of a simple RTI request to a public official was uncalled for

Clearly, most citizens are unaware of the tremendous bounties the RTI Act has to offer

The RTI law has been kept alive over the years largely through the efforts of a few dedicated NGOs and die-hard RTI activists.

The Right to Information Act, 2009 specifies a mechanism for citizens to access all information—with few exceptions—available to the government and many other public authorities.