‘Form independent info commission immediately.

The daily Star: Bangladesh: Sunday, September 28, 2025.

TIB slams govt for failing to reconstitute it in over a year.

Slamming the government for its failure to reconstitute an Information Commission more than a year after the fall of the Hasina regime, Transparency International Bangladesh yesterday called for the immediate formation of an effective and independent commission.

"Although the interim government has taken several initiatives towards state reforms, no steps have been taken to make the Information Commission functional or to reform the RTI Act," said TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman in a statement issued on the occasion of International Day for Universal Access to Information.

"Despite repeated recommendations from civil society and statements in the media, no action has followed. This indifference to protecting citizens' right to information is deeply unfortunate -- and marks one of the interim government's major failures," said Iftekharuzzaman.

The anti-corruption watchdog urged the appointment of qualified individuals, free of conflicts of interest, as commissioners through a transparent process.

At the same time, TIB called for necessary amendments to the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2009 and comprehensive reforms to transform the Information Commission into an effective and independent institution.

Iftekharuzzaman further noted that even when citizens file RTI applications, in the absence of an active commission, complaints remain unheard and unresolved.

"Training for information officers and other RTI-related activities is moving at a sluggish pace. As a result, the free flow of information in state institutions is not ensured, while secrecy and reluctance to proactively disclose information continue across government offices," he said.

"Although the RTI Act was passed and the Information Commission established as a statutory independent body, the law was never effectively implemented due to a lack of political will and the authoritarian government's visible reluctance," he said.

"On one hand, there was no coordinated initiative between government and non-government actors; on the other, some commissioners appointed over the years acted as carriers of partisan ideology."

"Consequently, the commission failed to play an effective role. As a result, the Act has not set any notable precedent for promoting transparency and accountability in public service institutions or beyond," he also said.

TIB proposed a number of reforms in this regard, which include bringing political parties and privately owned institutions under the RTI Act; requiring parties to disclose detailed accounts of their income and expenditures, with the Election Commission publishing this information proactively and on time; and abolishing surveillance mechanisms imposed on citizens through the misuse of repressive laws, among others.