The Daily Star: Bangladesh: Monday, 9th March
2026.
The Right to Information (RTI) Forum yesterday demanded the immediate formation of Information Commission and further amendments to the Right to Information Act, 2009, saying the recent amendment ordinance should not be passed in parliament in its current form.
“It is a world record that
despite a legal obligation, the Information Commission remained unformed for
one and a half years,” said Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB)
Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman at a press conference in the capital’s TIB office.
He urged the government to form the commission without delay and appoint qualified, experienced and independent individuals capable of working beyond partisan influence.
The remarks came at a press conference titled “Immediate Formation of the Information Commission and Necessary Amendments to the RTI Act, 2009,” organised by the RTI Forum.
Manusher Jonno Foundation Executive Director Shaheen Anam, also convener of the RTI Forum, said civil society organisations had repeatedly proposed reforms through consultations, but many of those recommendations were not reflected in the recently issued amendment ordinance.
“We do not want the ordinance to be passed in its current form in the parliament session starting March 12. We want further consultation so that the amendments we proposed are incorporated,” she said.
Shaheen also called for the immediate formation of the Information Commission, saying its prolonged absence had created a serious gap in citizens’ access to information.
She added that appointments to the commission must be transparent and based on competence and independence.
Shaheen also said women’s access to information remained weak and should be made easier.
Iftekharuzzaman said Bangladesh had made little progress in implementing the RTI law over the past 16 years under an authoritarian system that kept the commission ineffective. He said the interim government also failed to set a better example and left the commission unformed despite having the opportunity to strengthen transparency in governance.
Referring to past appointments, he said many commissioners had spent their professional lives keeping information secret, which undermined the purpose of the institution. “If the leadership of the commission itself is influenced by partisan considerations, it becomes difficult to expect an environment where the right to information can be effectively practised,” he said.
He also said the law should be amended to bring the private sector and political parties under its scope.
He added that the status and benefits of commissioners should be fixed by law, with the chief information commissioner equivalent to the Appellate Division and other commissioners equivalent to the High Court Division.
MRDI Executive Director Hasibur Rahman, said the Information Commission had remained absent since the July-August political changes, leaving more than 1,000 complaints pending.
He said the amendment ordinance introduced only limited changes, although some provisions strengthened the law. However, several key proposals remained unaddressed. These included adding “note sheet” to the definition of information, reviewing Section 7 of the law, and bringing local government bodies, private entities operating under government contracts or licences, and political parties registered with the Election Commission under the law’s scope.
He also proposed introducing a time-bound process for appointing commissioners so that vacant posts in the Information Commission are filled within a specified period.
Replying to a question, he said the RTI Forum wants a representative nominated by the forum to be included in the search committee for appointing commissioners.
Nagorik Uddyog Chief Executive Zakir Hossain proposed that major government projects hold public hearings every six months so that citizens, journalists and other stakeholders could review progress and raise questions.
Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies Executive Director Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed said private sector entities receiving government incentives, loans or other benefits funded by taxpayers should also be brought under the RTI law.
Sujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said the right to information is vital for a democratic state and that political parties should be brought under the law so that citizens can access information about their finances and operations.
The Right to Information (RTI) Forum yesterday demanded the immediate formation of Information Commission and further amendments to the Right to Information Act, 2009, saying the recent amendment ordinance should not be passed in parliament in its current form.
He urged the government to form the commission without delay and appoint qualified, experienced and independent individuals capable of working beyond partisan influence.
The remarks came at a press conference titled “Immediate Formation of the Information Commission and Necessary Amendments to the RTI Act, 2009,” organised by the RTI Forum.
Manusher Jonno Foundation Executive Director Shaheen Anam, also convener of the RTI Forum, said civil society organisations had repeatedly proposed reforms through consultations, but many of those recommendations were not reflected in the recently issued amendment ordinance.
“We do not want the ordinance to be passed in its current form in the parliament session starting March 12. We want further consultation so that the amendments we proposed are incorporated,” she said.
Shaheen also called for the immediate formation of the Information Commission, saying its prolonged absence had created a serious gap in citizens’ access to information.
She added that appointments to the commission must be transparent and based on competence and independence.
Shaheen also said women’s access to information remained weak and should be made easier.
Iftekharuzzaman said Bangladesh had made little progress in implementing the RTI law over the past 16 years under an authoritarian system that kept the commission ineffective. He said the interim government also failed to set a better example and left the commission unformed despite having the opportunity to strengthen transparency in governance.
Referring to past appointments, he said many commissioners had spent their professional lives keeping information secret, which undermined the purpose of the institution. “If the leadership of the commission itself is influenced by partisan considerations, it becomes difficult to expect an environment where the right to information can be effectively practised,” he said.
He also said the law should be amended to bring the private sector and political parties under its scope.
He added that the status and benefits of commissioners should be fixed by law, with the chief information commissioner equivalent to the Appellate Division and other commissioners equivalent to the High Court Division.
MRDI Executive Director Hasibur Rahman, said the Information Commission had remained absent since the July-August political changes, leaving more than 1,000 complaints pending.
He said the amendment ordinance introduced only limited changes, although some provisions strengthened the law. However, several key proposals remained unaddressed. These included adding “note sheet” to the definition of information, reviewing Section 7 of the law, and bringing local government bodies, private entities operating under government contracts or licences, and political parties registered with the Election Commission under the law’s scope.
He also proposed introducing a time-bound process for appointing commissioners so that vacant posts in the Information Commission are filled within a specified period.
Replying to a question, he said the RTI Forum wants a representative nominated by the forum to be included in the search committee for appointing commissioners.
Nagorik Uddyog Chief Executive Zakir Hossain proposed that major government projects hold public hearings every six months so that citizens, journalists and other stakeholders could review progress and raise questions.
Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies Executive Director Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed said private sector entities receiving government incentives, loans or other benefits funded by taxpayers should also be brought under the RTI law.
Sujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said the right to information is vital for a democratic state and that political parties should be brought under the law so that citizens can access information about their finances and operations.
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