RTI Act 2009: A Pillar of Transparency, Accountability, and Anti-Corruption in Bangladesh’s Governance
Md Badhon Mollik
Md Badhon Mollik : The Right to information (RTI) Act, 2009 is the progressive law in the Bangladesh sovereignty to ensure right and proper information in the government institution and in any public authority. The act has ever since enabled the citizen to demand information on how the government operates and thus increases participation and accountability. According to me, the RTI Act is performing a very important social role of enhancing governance and tackling corruption by extending the same access to Vital information to ordinary people.
Empowering Citizens with Information
This RTI Act enables citizens to demand answers on the utilization of public resource, decision making processes, implementation of policies among other things. It has enabled Journalists, activists and civil society organizations to reveal Cases of embezzlement, maladministration and ineptitude in governmental departments. Just filing a RTI request makes the government authorities of a particular department be more conscious of their actions or inactions as they know that their actions may be scrutinized by the public.
Enhancing Responsiveness in Public Organizations
An important goal on RTI Act to ensure that public authorities are answerable to the public. Since the law requires these institutions to appoint specific officials to deal with information request, the law makes the government offices more willing to open up to the public. The public authorities are expected to acknowledge RTI applications within 48 hours and provide information within 20 working days and if they do not so, the penalties prescribed are as follows. This legal situation makes officials to be answerable for their undertakings and to see that their actions are accountable as well documented.
Lastly, there is the Information Commission under the RTI Act, which is also an added check on the institutions. It is charged with the responsibility of monitoring compliance with the law, receiving complains from the public and punishing the violators. It plays the role of a watch dog, thus entailing that public authorities cannot escape accountability.
Challenging Corruption
Where corruption is still prevalent in the Country, RTI Act serves as a strong antidote to graft and evils of unethical governance. Through enlightening the possible corruption in financial transactions, purchase and contracts awards and exercise of administrative functions, the act has the potential of reducing graft chances drastically. The act has been often employed by citizens, journalists and NGOs as the means to report bribery and embezzlement, misuse of the public funds.
Creating a Culture of Openness
The RTI Act has slowly started to transform the whole working culture of the government organizations. Just the awareness that citizens have the right to information will make the public officials work in a more efficient and transparent manner. However, this kind of cultural change is gradual and is requisite in promoting sustainable responsibility. It makes officials to be a bit more sensitive to their duties and to also be more cautious while writing their recommendations and verdicts.
Other actors who are also contributing to the dissemination and increase awareness of rights conferred by RTI Act include civil society organizations and NGOs including YED and Manusher Jonno Foundation. These groups are through their training programs, campaigns and advocacy informing citizens especially in the rural areas how to use the RTI to demand accountability from their local leaders.
Challenges and Areas for Improvement
For a while now, the RTI Act have brought improved change but there are still drawbacks regarding its total implementation. Sadly, a significant number of people including those living in rural areas do not have the faintest clue as to their rights under the law. Also, there are some public officers who still lag in their response to information, they often claim that the information is stuck in their bureaucracy or deny the requester information using exemptions allowed in the law.
There are also cases where the Information Commission has failed to respond to complaints or to prosecute offenders hence a denunciation of the act. Other measures that need to be taken to build upon the capacity of the commission is to see that it does not delay in taking actions against those, who have not complied with the RTI Act, in order to encourage more accountability.
In fact, the RTI Act, 2009 may act as a turning point in the way governance in Bangladesh. The act enables citizens to have right to information thus enhances accountability, fighting of corruption and increases transparency within the public administration entities. Nevertheless, much more needs to be done for RTI to achieve its maximum potential, which is enhanced public awareness, better Legal backing, and the perpetual support of the civil society organizations.
As the awareness about the RTI increases among the citizens and as the government moving further in its commitment to transparency, the act is going to continue to serve a significant purpose in the process of building an effective and responsible efficient governance system in Bangladesh.
Author : Md Badhon Mollik; Student, Department of Law, Bangladesh Open University.
