RTI Act
How to use RTI when there are no information commissioners
The interim government should encourage all public officials to respond diligently to the citizens’ RTI requests.
15 May 2025, 05:00 AM
How do our neighbours use the RTI law?
We can learn from how other countries in this region benefit from the law.
16 April 2025, 06:00 AM
We need a ‘public interest override’ in the RTI Act
Public interest should be the yardstick when balancing citizens' right to information concerning governance and state need to safeguard sensitive information.
15 November 2024, 05:00 AM
Access to information: A right essential for transparency and accountability
The RTI Act is a crucial tool for promoting transparency and accountability in Bangladesh.
28 September 2024, 10:00 AM
Arrest and imprisonment of journalist over RTI request is ominous
The eruption of hostility surrounding the submission of a simple RTI request to a public official was uncalled for
16 April 2024, 02:01 AM
Reassuring stories of progress
The RTI law has been kept alive over the years largely through the efforts of a few dedicated NGOs and die-hard RTI activists.
15 February 2024, 03:00 AM
Our Information Commission has mettle after all
In the last few months, we have received some very encouraging feedback from users of the RTI law about the Information Commission's work.
15 December 2023, 03:00 AM
RTI unearths discrimination against female students
Bangladesh’s High Court has asked the authorities of a public university to allow pregnant and married female students to remain in the dormitories for the time being
15 November 2023, 03:00 AM
How right to information helped Sri Lanka manage its crisis
Through the RTI Commission of Sri Lanka, citizens could weight in on matters impacting the nation.
15 October 2023, 14:00 PM
If your court case is stuck for lack of evidence, try RTI
Indications of the growing maturity of RTI Act users and the increasing willingness of public officials to abide by its provisions are indeed welcome developments.
15 August 2023, 01:00 AM
Does RTI have a future in Bangladesh?
Can public officials ever become transparent in their work and feel accountable to citizens?
15 May 2023, 02:00 AM
RTI is more than a right, it is a civic duty
Seeking information is not only a right of citizens, but also a civic duty.
14 January 2023, 12:00 PM
Success stories can improve our woefully low awareness of RTI
RTI Act is one of our most powerful instruments to hold the government accountable.
14 November 2022, 18:16 PM
The State of RTI in South Asia: The Pakistan Case
Over the last two decades, most of South Asia has adopted right to information (RTI) laws, also known as freedom of information (FOI) or access to information (A2I) laws.
14 July 2022, 15:00 PM
Right to information in the age of authoritarianism
As authoritarianism creeps in across the world, the ideals of participatory democracy and representative governance have taken a back seat once again in many countries.
14 June 2022, 18:00 PM
Making public exams transparent
Competitive examinations are a long-standing and important fact of life for our youth entering public service. But few know that the Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2009 can play an effective role to ensure that these exams are transparent and fair.
14 January 2018, 18:00 PM
Promoting “open government” through the RTI Act
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when adults are afraid of the light.”
12 April 2017, 18:00 PM
RTI Act 2009: A powerful tool against poverty
Yet the RTI Act is hardly known for being put to use in significant numbers. It has so far worked mainly with the marginalised and disadvantaged communities because of the help of NGOs and activists. The educated and the middle classes are yet to be fired by the powerful reach of the law.
14 June 2016, 18:00 PM