The Daily Star: Bangladesh: Thursday,
September 29, 2016.
The right to
information (RTI) act can be used to protect human rights although it has some
limitations, speakers told a seminar yesterday.
They also
recommended ensuring freedom of expression and rule of law to protect human
rights at the seminar marking the International Right to Information Day 2016.
Article 19, a
British human rights organisation, arranged the seminar to launch an
orientation session for journalist in the capital's Lakeshore Hotel.
“The journalists
have an important role to play as they work like protectors of human rights
through their reporting,” said Meghna Guhathakurta, executive director of
Research Initiatives Bangladesh.
On the act's
use, she said, “I think not many journalists have been using the RTI act for
the delay in the process to deliver information,” added the human rights
activist.
She also
criticised the Human Rights Commission's act which does not allow any independent
investigation against law enforcers.
British High
Commissioner Alison Blake said, “Open government is better government which
ensures transparency and economic development of the country.”
“We are
working in Bangladesh government and its civil society to enact the right to
information act,” she said.
Manzoor
Hasan, executive director, South Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human
Rights Studies, said, “We have strong legislation but in terms of
implementation of law we are lagging behind as we have bureaucracy problems.”
He also added
that Bangladesh was comparatively getting better in ensuring freedom of
expression but still the rule of law needed to be implemented.
Sohrab
Hossain, joint editor, Prothom Alo, also spoke while a website “Nirbhoy” was
launched to support journalists get information over legal support.
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