Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed :
28th September is the International Information Right Day. Three-day programs have been chalked out in the connection. Like other countries of the world, it will also be observed in Bangladesh with an aim to ensure universal access to information for sustainable development and building a free society. Information is a democratic and citizen right of people. Right to information is a part and parcel of freedom of speech and openness of thoughts and conscience. The Act 2009 of information right has been passed in the 1st session of 9th parliament. Under this act, govt. has formed Information commission. As a result of this, the availability of information by all people and mass media has been established. People empowerment has come to a point of expedition. Nation’s father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamt for a hunger and poverty free and peaceful Sonar Bangla. And to materialize the course of action of dream, Bangladesh is advancing and graduated from LDC to developing country. By the cordial efforts of present govt., all the acts have been made easier by translation and published in Bengali media. As a result people are getting clean ideas about the existing focus of the country which will play a very significant role to build up a free society. In order to ensure excess to ICT the present Awami League govt. is very much positive and cordial.
Awami League (1996-2001) govt in their past regime first approved private satellite television in the parallel line of govt. television. Govt. also channelized other 44 private TV channels, 22 FM radio and 32 community radios broadcasting channels. As a result, information and publicity got a new flow and dimension. Now information are available to people and as a result of it transparency and accountability of administration has also been ensured. Meanwhile, Bangabandhu satellite has crossed its space from ocean to sky. Now information will be more correct, speedy and easier. Moreover to ensure the availability of ICT, digital centers have been set up in all unions and 8500 postal centers have been introduced. Under the able leadership of present govt. Bangladesh is going to be a role model in the world. Govt. is committed to fulfill its projected goal by 2021 and 2041 through peoples’ participation.
The prime responsibility for implementation of information rights is lying with information commission. Information commission is doing their all activities very nicely. People are getting the result. In every sector, transparency and accountability have been ensured, corruption is reducing and good governance has been established. Moreover, after the formation of Information commission, govt. has been playing a significant role of confidence in between govt. and people since last 9 years. In order to solidity democracy all must have to come forward to cooperate Information commission. Information commission is rendering its service with sincerity and responsibility. To discharge all the activities efficiently, commission is recruiting new officials and providing proper training for fulfilling the desired purpose. With the ending of 9 years from 2009 to 2018, in total 31,851 officials have been recruited who were employed in local govt. and NGOs. Besides, since 2009 in total 32785 have been trained on information rights Acts, rules and by-rules. This has jointly been done by Information commission and District administration. Meanwhile its online training system has been introduced. By 16th September, 2018, 5778 officials in-charge have been imparted with online training on information rights and relevant acts. Certificates have been properly issued to those officers. After the formation of Information commission since 2009 till today 90,579 applications have been submitted to different authorities. Out of these applications, 33,054 applications were rejected which is 3.70%. In the country with vast population like Bangladesh this figure is very negligible and by percentage which is only 0.053%. It is understood that people are yet to become ICT friendly. But in comparison to previous years the number increases. The submission of application has been increased which is 1/3rd increase of the previous years. Among the submitted applications 2732 applications have not been taken into consideration and 847 appeal petitions have been disposed of. The percentage of filed petition is 5% higher than the previous year.
From the above data, it is clear that people are gradually entering in the trend to use acts on information rights. Till today, 2,212 complaint petitions have been filed. After scrutiny 1,431 complain have been heard and taken to cognigence for settlement. Among them 13 petitions were under trial of writ case and 23 petitions were suspended on different grounds. Other 1,395 petitions have been settled after hearing. The other 781 petitions directly came under the order of direct disposal and under provisional comments, the cases were settled. Out of settled 1395 cases till today 44 complaints have come under order of penalty or compensation. During the last 9 years Information commission authorities has conducted awareness program in all divisional and district towns and moreover in 360 upazilla headquarters of 45 districts. To notify this, Information commission has arranged for scroll publicity in TV channel. On overage 115 people daily are visiting the website. In order to augment the awareness development program Information commission has taken different steps of mass awareness campaigning including meeting and conferences and this has been done in 154 upazilla of 20 districts in the year 2017. Under the acts of information rights the information are analyzed and evaluated and necessary opportunity have been created for its proper application. The journalists are playing a vital role and coming forward for its proper application. But in some cases its misuse have been found out which needs to be availed. United nation in its 78th session has taken a resolution on sustainable development goals. The title name of the resolution was transforming our work ‘the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.’
In this resolution 17 universal goals have been defined and 169 indexes are fixed by the grand development plan of UN for achieving MDGs. This agenda 2030 in such a plan as has been taken to strengthen world peace to reduce poverty and to eliminate all disparities from the world. Now many countries of the world are facing challenges against terrorism, unemployment and quality manufacturing products of industry and food production. On the other hand these are the precondition for SDGs. In the agenda of SDG it has been explicitly stated to ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedom in accordance with national legislation and international agreements. To achieve this goal, Information commission has formulated a legal framework which has been followed to expedite the action plan of free flow of information. Under this legal framework all ministries, division are ensuring transparency and accountability in the respective work field and within the specified time all actions have been done on annual performance agreement. This will ensure the people’s participation and free flow of information. Besides citizens charter, national integrity strategy and grievance redress system have been introduced to keep the authorities within the boundary of obligation. This is indeed most practical and imperative. It is hoped that information commission sill emerge as a watchdog institution by 2030 and will be able to play a vital role for safeguarding the nations property in the process of equitable and balanced distribution and Bangladesh will emerge as a developed country by the proper utilization of resources, deliberate action plan giving change of lifestyle in the basic needs like food, education health, accommodation and clothing. Meanwhile different NGOs have taken their action plan to promote the activities of information rights.
They are helping people and supporting people to be acquainted with information rights. Information commission has come up with a good mission but there are some problems to implement its goal. Lacking of awareness about information rights, lacking in initiative of publicity, showing disgusting attitude in rendering service may be mentioned as the problems. These problems immediately need to be solved by changing our mindset and a win-win or congenial environment must be made among the different stake-holders. Meanwhile much progress has been done. More can be achieved by efficiency. We hope our future generation will be equipped with ICT knowledge and by taking the advantage of information rights sustainable development goal will be achieved and virtually a happy and peaceful golden Bangla will be built at the end of tireless efforts and at peoples’ sweet will.
