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

In the last few months, we have received some very encouraging feedback from users of the RTI law about the Information Commission's work.

To the tremendous potential of the RTI Act, there are a handful of RTI activists and enthusiasts in Bangladesh who persevere to take the law forward with their zeal and determination.

In a country with such a politically-oriented population, why has RTI not caught on?

The recent countrywide agitation against the quota system for selection of candidates for government jobs was successfully ended through the timely intervention of the prime minister. But our youth remain concerned about corruption in many other areas of the recruitment process. The authorities should pay heed to them before they turn into a full-blown crisis.

"The freedom of a nation cannot be upheld by laws alone, but also by the light of the nation and knowledge of their use." These words by Anders Chydenius, a Swedish enlightenment thinker and politician of the eighteenth century, had set the ball rolling for the adoption of world's first freedom of information law in Sweden and Finland in 1766. Since then around 115 countries/territories have enacted similar transparency laws.