Int’l day for access to information today

The International Day for Universal Access to Information will be observed today in the country as elsewhere across the world with the theme “Information is my right, is it known to all?”

Different government and non-government organizations have taken various programmes to mark the day.

Marking the day, the Information Commission will organize a discussion at its conference room in the city’s Agargaon area while

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud will attend as the chief guest.

President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day, wishing all-out success of the programmes taken to mark the day.

The President, in his message, welcomed the initiatives undertaken to observe the day in the country like elsewhere in the globe to ensure the free flow of the information.

The Constitution of Bangladesh has enshrined the freedom of thoughts, conscience and speeches as one of the fundamental rights of the citizens, he said, adding it is the constitutional rights of the every person to get and know the information.

The government, Hamid said, has formulated the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2009 giving priority to people’s right to know and constituted the Information Commission to implement the act.

Noting that the RTI act is a strongest weapon to establish the transparency, accountability and good governance, he said the act certainly has given the legal base to the people to get information.

The RTI act can get the fulfillment with the spontaneous participation of people from all strata including participation of the country’s government and non government organizations, print and electronic media, civil society members, public representatives and political leaders.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said the Awami League government passed the RTI Act, 2009, in the 9th Jatiya Sangsad aiming at empowering the people by ensuring the rights of getting information.

“To expand the span of free flow of information, alongside the Bangladesh Television (BTV), we approved private satellite television for the first time during our 1996-2001

tenure,” she said, adding, so far 45 private television channels, 28 FM radio stations and 32 community radios have been approved.

Noting that the ‘Bangabandhu Satellite-1’ was successfully launched into geostationary earth orbit (GEO), the head of the government said now the private TV channels along with the BTV are airing their programmes through the satellite, making the process of getting information easier and cost-effective.

By launching Sangsad Television, the information regarding the parliament session is being reached directly to the people, Sheikh Hasina said, adding to expand the civic amenities, Bangladesh National Portal has been launched.

“Today ‘Digital Bangladesh’ is a reality. We are working with the target that Bangladesh would be a developed-prosperous country before 2041. With the collective efforts of all, we will build the ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Inshallah,” she added.

Noting that the whole world including Bangladesh is in deep crisis due to Coronavirus pandemic, she urged all to perform their duties properly to overcome the crisis.