Executive Summary:

Right to information refers to people’s right to have all the necessary information regarding the political, legal and similar areas which is directly correlated to their daily lives. In Bangladesh, though people have very limited or no information at all due to lack of willingness and ability to obtain the necessary information’s.

Thus the general people should look forward how this bridge can be closed between themselves and the government officials to obtain the necessary and rightful information. The technology is advancing day by day throughout the world. Thus obtaining information has become much easier and flexible.

Not only the general people but it is also the responsibility of those who are the holders of that information. They are also equally responsible for passing those to the general people with full efficiency and accuracy. Sadly due to the negligence of both parties this information flow is reduced compared to the early days since the nation’s independence in 1971. Lots of problem is faced by the nation’s citizens specially the people who belong to the rural areas.

Due to unaware of their own right, thousands of people had faced difficulties on both professional and personal context. Our focus is on the factors of this decreased information flow as well as the initiatives to be taken which can reduce this massive problem in our country.

Contents:

• Introduction • Theoretical Overview • Findings o Definition of RTI o History and background o A brief overview of RTI 2009 o RTI and governance o Some common aspects of RTI o Implementing RTI in Bangladesh o Benefits of RTI o Applications of RTI o E-governance • Conclusion • Recommendation • Bibliography

Introduction:

The Right to Information is the key to all other rights. It is among the most important instruments to effectively empower those to whom power should belong in democracy - the people. The United Nations has called it the touchstone of all the freedoms to which UN is consecrated. The history of the recognition of the right to information is much older though. The first country to have the RTI law was Finland and Sweden in 1766 when the former was a territory governed by Sweden. The joint Parliament of the then Finland and Sweden adopted the first RTI law of the world titled Access to Public Records Act, 1766. Nearly seventy countries have since enacted RTI law or act, of which over 40 have done so during the decade of nineties and thereafter. The newly elected Government of Bangladesh adopted the Right to Information Act in the first session of the 9th Parliament on March 29, 2009, marking a significant step forward in fulfilling the constitutional pledge of the state of Bangladesh.
This upsurge of the RTI law worldwide comes as an indicator of the growing recognition of the importance of the citizens’ access to information as a catalyst for strengthening democracy, promoting human rights and good governance, and fighting corruption. Enactment of RTI laws has in many cases taken persistent efforts of campaign and advocacy by a multiplicity of stakeholders in the public, private, and non-governmental sectors, particularly the latter who like in Bangladesh, played the catalytic role. The experience of RTI movement shows that while enactment of the law appears as a dream-come-true for the campaigners, its implementation, like any other law enforcement, is much more challenging.
Thanks to the adoption of the RTI Act, Bangladesh has also placed before itself the challenge of implementing the Act and delivering the people the right to information. This paper seeks answer to the questions on why is it important to promote and protect people’s right to information; what are some of the key preconditions and factors that should be in place to ensure effective delivery of benefits of the RTI Act; and what are the roles of the key stakeholders.
Theoretical Overview:

Right to Information, which may also be referred to as Freedom of Information is now a universally recognized right. It is a fundamental key to the all the other rights. The United Nation in its first session of general assembly adopted the Regulation (59)1 which declares, “Freedom of Information is a fundamental human right and is the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the United Nations is concerned.”

In a democratic society people are the most powerful element and Right to Information empowers them to realize the fruits of Democracy. Transparent governance structure is an absolute requirement for free debate and accountability that encourage citizens to engage with public officials and make the state a more effective one. Governments cannot be transparent without creating regime where general people have a right to know what their Government is doing or what information it is holding. Adams puts emphasis that it is indispensable that the people acquire knowledge in order to participate in politics. He stated, “The people have a right, an indisputable, inalienable, indefeasible divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean of the characters and conduct of their rulers’’. He went on saying, ‘‘The preservation of the means of knowledge among the lowest ranks, is of more importance than all the property of all the rich men in the country.”

Freedom of information is important because of the following reasons:

1. Confidence and loyalty thrive where people have the right to know. 2. Patriotism springs from the people’s own convictions, based not upon government propaganda but on full information on all sides of every question. 3. Government power, backed by an informed citizenry, is unassailable, because through full availability to the news, an equal partnership between the government and the individual is established, based upon respect for the latter’s right to know.
Findings:

Definition of RTI:

RTI refers to the right of every citizen to freedom of speech and expression and the freedom of press are guaranteed. According to the Article 39 it refers to “Freedom of thought and conscience is guaranteed.” Right to Information is also known as Freedom of Information or Access to Information. Some people also call this right the Right to know.

✓ The simplest definition of this right could be- Right of a citizen to be informed in writing if a governmental agency holds certain information and to request its disclosure. If refused, he or she can demand to be given the cause of refusal in writing.

✓ Resolution 59 (1) which was adopted in the first session of United Nations General Assembly defines Freedom of information in general term as follows- Freedom of Information implies the right to gather, transmit and publish news anywhere and everywhere without fetters. As such it is an essential factor in any serious effort to promote the peace and progress of the world. ✓ Article 19 (2) of the International Covenant On Civil and Political Rights, 1966 States- Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.

History and background:

It is evident from the section that secrecy is intended only for security purpose of some very confidential information like passwords, the release of which can harm the concerned authority or project. Nevertheless, this section has been widely used as an excuse to withhold information even though their release in no way could have been harmful.
Section 123 of the Evidence Act lays down, “No one shall be permitted to get any evidence derived from unpublished official records relating to any affairs of State, except with the permission of the officer at the head of the department concerned, who shall give or withhold such permission as he thinks fit.”
This section gives wide power to the head of department to decide whether a piece of unpublished information relating to state matters which could be used as evidence in the court should be released or not. He has got absolute discretion on the release and it is not compulsory that his decision should be based on any reasonable grounds and it is not also mandatory to provide the reasons for information rejection. Only subjective satisfaction is required in this case.
There are many other provisions scattered in different laws and rules prohibiting access to information. Information generally remains secret if not stated or classified otherwise. Although disclosures (should) be the general rule, not the exception; that all individuals have equal rights of access; that the burden be on the Government to justify the withholding of a document, not on the person who requests it. During and after the South Asian Regional Conference on Right to Information by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative in Dhaka in July 1999 a wide range of debate has surfaced in the newspapers and among the legal community as regards the need for information access legislation, to reinforce democracy and accountability in Bangladesh.
Civil society organizations, journalist community and legal community started demanding for a law on Right to Information for Bangladesh. There was also pressure from the various development organizations and development partners to initiate a legislative process to enact the law. Paying heed to these demands The Law Commission of Bangladesh prepared a draft paper on RTI in 2002. However, this working paper was prepared without proper consultation of people and stakeholders and later the process was blocked in the bureaucratic red tape. For some years the whereabouts of the paper were even unknown.
In 2005 Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), which represents an association of nongovernmental organizations, took the initiative to revive the RTI legislative effort.
The organization invited the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) to provide technical assistance in terms of capacity building, awareness rising, and creating better understanding of the benefits of RTI. In the mean time, the demand for RTI was intensified by different groups such as media, research groups, academia, NGOs, etc. A process of promotion started through developing various communications materials, popular theatre, and songs on RTI, and conducting of research. Many non-governmental organizations and other networks become keenly involved in this process. In 2007 the change in the political scenario in Bangladesh actually helped speed up the enactment process of the RTI Act. The transitional government was keen to improve governance and the law was drafted, reviewed and critiqued by experts and submitted to the Information Ministry in 2007. The Ministry finalized the draft and finally signed it as an ordinance by the president in October 2008. According to the Constitution the ordinance has to be ratified by the next elected parliament.

A general election was held in December 2008. The RTI Forum lobbied with the members of new parliament for the enactment of the RTI law. The law minister, information minister, and several MP's were met individually to promote its enactment. The newly elected government has set up a review committee of experts to evaluate the ordinance passed during the time of caretaker government. The RTI Forum also lobbied with the expert group in order to expedite the rectification of the ordinance. Finally, on March 29, the bill was enacted in parliament as Right to Information Act, 2009 ushering Bangladesh into the new challenge of implementing the law.
A brief overview on the RTI Act-2009:

The preamble of Right to Information Act, 2009 states that the Act makes provisions for free flow of information and ensures people’s rights to know. The constitution of Bangladesh recognizes freedom of thought, conscience and speech and right to information is an indispensable part of those rights. The constitution also declares that all powers are rested with the people; in order to empower people they must have the right to know. It is interesting to note that the application of the Act is not only limited to government bodies it also extends its scope to non government organizations (NGOs) supported by government fund and foreign funds. NGOs play a significant role in the development of Bangladesh and their activities are often criticized to have lacking in transparency and corruption charges are also raised against them so their inclusion in the act is a very positive steps and people may know their activities more and the way they are spending funds. Section 4 of the RTI Act spells out in clear terms a statutory right to information for every citizen. The sections runs as,” Subject to the provisions of this Act, every citizen has a right to information from the Authority and the Authority shall on demand from a citizen be bound to provide information.”

Section 6 lays down the obligation for public authorities to publish certain information from time to time. They may be summarized as follows: a. A description of the organization and responsibilities of the executives of the public authority and description of its decision making process and responsibilities of its officers and employees.

b. Classes of records in the possession of the Public Authority including the rules, regulations, instructions and list of manuals used by its employees.

c. A statement about the conditions upon which citizens can acquire any license, permit, grant, allotment, consent, approval or other benefits of any nature from the Public Authority or upon which transactions or contracts of any category can be entered with the Public Authority.

d. Name, designation and location of the officer to whom information request should be made.

It is also stated that the above information will be made available to the public for inspection free of cost and be supplied the copy with nominal fees. Section 7 of the Act points out seventeen instances where information may be withheld by the authorities. It seems that the list of exemptions is an attempt to cover state security, price sensitive information, and personal privacy matters. The exemption clause is an incomplete one, as it does not provide for a public interest test before applying exemption to a certain information request. In principle the exemptions are allowed in the Right to Information Act so that sensitive information may not be released into the public domain where the information could be misused or harm will be done to individual or state. Therefore, an exemption decision must go through a test to find out whether the public interest in confidentiality Many observers believe that the exceptions provided by the Act are too broad and susceptible to be misused as an excuse for non-disclosure by the authorities unless a clear explanation is provided by the authority in relation to applying these exceptions on information request. We hope that the government will address the above issues while framing rules for the application of the Act and formulate detailed explanations and provide tests to ensure the exemptions are applied in proper circumstances and they are not misused.

The information seeker has to establish his identity by providing his name, address and contact details. So the information seeker cannot be anonymous. Information can be requested by writing, email or other electronic means. Upon receipt of information request, the officer in-charge is required to provide the information within twenty working days. If a request involves more than one unit or authority such information shall be provided in thirty days. If the officer in-charge fails to provide the information within the time frame mentions above he will communicate his reasons for such failure to the applicant within thirty days.

The Act establishes Information Commission that will oversee that all the authorities who are subject to the Act are complying with RTI obligations. The commission is also responsible for educating people about their rights and to resolve dispute relating to information release. The information commissioners must be persons of high integrity, utmost degree of credibility, public trust, professional excellence and capacity, leadership quality and dynamism.

RTI and Governance:

Information is the cardinal source of power. Those who possess information are powerful. Those who do not have access to information are powerless. By enforcing people right to information the powerful and can be brought closer to powerless, through sharing and disclosing information. It can turn out to be the most effective catalyst for institutionalization of democracy, promotion of good governance and control of corruption. It is about empowerment of citizens and about building responsiveness of the state and its organs, the political parties and leaderships, administration and other institutions to the citizens. The RTI Act gives the citizen the right to ask for information from the government, non-government and other institutions, while it also creates the opportunity for those in positions of power to devolve it through sharing of information. The Act can be a key legal instrument to support, protect and facilitate democracy in Bangladesh.

Research has shown a strong correlation of transparency indicated by existence of
Freedom of Information laws and frequent publication of government economic data with quality of governance. Transparency is also associated with lower levels of corruption, better socioeconomic and human development indicators, and greater economic competitiveness. On a more specific level, there are growing evidences that transparency in budget is associated with better governance standards and improved economic and social outcomes. Opening budget processes to civil society engagement can promote improvements in budget accountability and the effectiveness of pro-poor expenditures. A recent study of budget-focused organizations in six countries - Brazil, Croatia, India, Mexico, South Africa, and Uganda - has shown that civil society engagement in the budget process had a direct impact on improving the quality of the budget system, pro-poor allocations, and the quality of expenditures.

Research has also demonstrated a strong causal link between corruption and poverty. Good performance in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), released every year by Transparency International, has been found to be linked with higher per capita income. According to estimates, an improvement in the CPI by one index point (out of ten) increases capital inflows by 0.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product and raises productivity, leading to an increase in average income by 4 percent. On the other hand countries that have adopted and enforced the RTI law tend to score higher in terms of the CPI. It may be difficult to establish a correlation, but prevalence of corruption in such countries, especially the Nordic countries, Finland in particular, has been perceived to be the lowest. There are exceptions though, e.g., countries like Singapore which has been nearly at the top of the list of least-corrupt countries do not have the RTI, which make a conclusive correlation difficult to achieve. Indeed, the effect of RTI on CPI cannot be specifically related because it is only in conjunction with other legal, institutional and overall political context that influence of such instruments can be measured. Nevertheless, it is widely believed that the stronger are a country’s legal and institutional provisions to ensure transparency; the better is the possibility of higher score in CPI.

Act/law in terms of score in CPI, in which a nearly systematic trend of improvement of score can be observed.

Influence of RTI on performance in corruption perceptions Index Scores in CPI (in a scale of 0-10)

|Country |Year of adoption of
RTI Law |2003 |2004 |2005 |2006 |2007 |2008 | |1 |Albania |1998 | ----- | ----- |2.4 |2.6 |2.9 |3.4 | |2 |Croatia |2003 |3.7 |3.5 | ----- |3.4 |4.1 |4.4 | |3 |Czech
Republic |1999 |3.9 |4.2 |4.3 |4.8 |5.2 |5.2 | |4 |Estonia |2000 |5.5 |6.0 |6.4 |6.7 |6.5 |6.6 | |5 |India |2005 |2.8 |2.8 |2.9 |3.3 |3.5 |3.4 | |6 |Latvia |1998 |3.8 |4.0 |4.2 |4.7 |4.8 |5.0 | |7 |Pakistan |2002 |2.5 |2.1 |2.1 |2.2 |2.4 |2.5 | |8 |Romania |2001 |2.8 |2.9 |3.0 |3.1 |3.7 |3.8 | |9 |Slovakia |200 |3.7 |4.0 |4.0 |4.7 |4.9 |5.0 | |10 |Slovenia |2003 |5.9 |6.0 |6.1 |6.4 |6.6 |6.7 | |11 |South
Africa |2000 |4.4 |4.6 |4.5 |4.6 |5.1 |4.9 | |12 |South Korea |1996 |4.3 |4.5 |5.0 |5.1 |5.1 |5.6 | |13 |Turkey |2003 |3.1 |3.2 |3.5 |3.8 |4.1 |4.6 | | |Bangladesh |2008 |1.3 |1.5 |1.7 |2.0 |2.0 |2.1 | | Source: Transparency International, www.transparency.org

Some common aspects of RTI:

Today's democratic governments are supposed to be service provider to the citizen. People have an indefeasible right to know what their government is doing. The right to information can be better exercised if technology is used in making available and delivery of information. ICT has opened up a huge potential of ensuring transparency and reliability in the democratic process. However, for developing nations like Bangladesh the shift to technology is not so easy. Many structural and policy changes are required before such shift to technology could generate any real benefit. Ensuring Right to Information in context may involve the following actions:

1) Information Preservation and Management System:

Proper management and preservation of records is of paramount importance for effective implementation of the provisions of the Act. The authorities should design their databases and information system in such way that which are RTI friendly and easily retrievable for the RTI officer. The RTI officer should be able to erase data that is subject to exceptions in RTI Act and a decision support system could also be integrated. Section 5 of the Act requires the authorities to prepare catalogues and indexes of information in such a manner and form that it may facilitate the right to information. In context of Bangladesh it may be difficult to establish a fully automated system overnight in all offices where there is old document maintenance systems are already in place because a complete move to computer database and information system is a huge logistic, technical and financial undertaking. For instance Land record management should be one of the first priorities where the Government can establish information system. Land record and management is the most intricate and complex system in Bangladesh with myriads of laws and regulations. Land related disputes account for the 80 percent criminal and even more percentage of civil cases in Bangladesh and the major cause of this is poor management of records. Bangladesh government has been mulling to implement digital land ownership record and digital survey and if this is implemented it will bring, a major benefit for the people. Villagers will be able to access the online services through computerized information centers due to be set up in unions, the lowest tier of local government. Other priorities should include tax administration, customs and excise, passport and population control, various licensing authorities and authorities that regulate business.

2) Inter connectivity between departments and Network:

Network is a very important investment that the Government should make on urgent basis. A nationwide network backbone connecting all Government and semi-Government authorities with various access privileges and communication is needed to establish. Various Government agencies can have information sharing arrangements and this is not only important for efficient execution of RTI requests but also will be very helpful to co-ordinate inter agency works. Section 5 of the RTI Act made it obligatory to establish such networks and authorities must comply with this provision. An efficient network is a must for the Government to achieve its e-government and RTI objectives. An information request which involves information from more than two organizations is difficult to handle if there is no information sharing management and a fast communication network to facilitate collection of information.

3) Pro active disclosure through electronic means:

The Act requires the authorities to publish some categories of information on a regular basis. The goal is to make the authorities more transparent and service oriented. People must know the services the particular office provides, the ways by which they can obtain such service and what kind of procedure they have to follow. The authorities should identify the categories of information that are frequently requested and make them available without waiting for people to request. The authorities also must disclose their budget, expenditures and other financial information, which is important to limit the chances of corruption. The question is how such affirmative disclosure is made most effectively. The information and communication technology is the best answer for the question. Some people may argue that publishing through electronic means or more specifically through Internet is not beneficial for a country where most people do not have Internet access. The above suggestion is not always true as ICT technologies are becoming more affordable every day and cellular technology brought significant changes in the communication scenario of the developing countries. For instance Bangladesh Education Board has successfully implemented a project where the result of public examinations are published and a candidate can easily log in to one of the sites and find his result and grades by typing a few information in the search box. Before such publication, the candidates had to wait in long queues in the school and college premises to obtain their result. This seemingly simple move has major impact on the student community.

As far as internet access is concerned the whole nation is now under the coverage of wireless GPRS/ EDGE internet thanks to Grameenphone(Telenor) the market leader of cellular network in Bangladesh. Grameenphone has established Community Information Centers(GPCIC) around the country especially in rural areas to bring internet and other communication related services to the masses.
GPCICs are designed to be run independently as small businesses by local entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs are trained and are provided with continuous support from Grameenphone. To help the entrepreneurs earn a living, Community Information Centers also provide other Grameenphone services, such as payphones (again using Grameenphone's mobile network and electronic recharges (Flexiload) for prepaid and postpaid mobile accounts. With more of this kind of centers the access problem of the rural people will be solved and they can also tap into the benefits authorities’ proactive publication in their website and even perform information requests. All the other cellular networks are also implementing nationwide Internet access following the footsteps of Grameenphone. Third Generation Mobile Internet (3G) will soon be introduced in Bangladesh allowing greater access and speed. In fact all government need to do is provide a congenial business atmosphere and the private sectors will grow themselves and more service will be available to the public at competitive costs. In summary following steps could be taken to improve access to information-

a. Encouraging more Grameenphone model CICs,

b. Computer centers with internet connection at schools and colleges;

c. Creating a competitive atmosphere in the mobile internet business so that the cost remains within the reach of general people;

d. Providing contents in Bangla language to facilitate easy understanding;

e. Designing easily maintainable sites and make sure information is updated on a regular basis;

f. Implementing 3G and other high speed access technologies very soon.

4) Interaction with authorities:

Publication sites Section 8 of the Act clearly mandates information requests may be made by email. However, from the past experience it is seen that officers in Bangladesh do not usually respond to emails and a practice of answering emails has not yet developed. The Government should take awareness-raising program among the authorities so that they take, among other things, the email issues seriously and designated information officers should be made bound to answer emails by rules that will be made for this Act. The Government officials have to change their entire approach and way of operation.

Implementing RTI in Bangladesh:

Opportunities:

With regard to implementation a number of crucial factors come into play, the most important of which is the political will, the degree of commitment of the government, upon which rest the key responsibility and authority of creating conditions for effective implementation of the RTI law. Therefore any discussion on the prospect of implementation of the RTI Act of Bangladesh must seek answer to the question on what motivated the government to enact it. Was it from a real ownership of the law at the top echelons of the Government and the Parliament, and was it from a realization that fulfillment of the electoral commitment for the law per se was an imperative. At the same time, is there also recognition of the potential role of the law in moving towards institutionalization of democracy, promotion of good governance and control of corruption?
Time will tell the proper and full answer, but at least there is hardly any evidence to suggest that this law, as it often happens in a country like Bangladesh, is a result of any pressure or conditionality from any international donor. It cannot also be viewed as an act of automatic ratification of just another Ordinance passed by the caretaker government (CTG), though the newly-elected Government worked on the basis of the RTI Ordinance issued by the CTG. If election manifesto and political pledge make any sense, the adoption of the RTI Act 2009 is an evidence of the delivery of a Government commitment. There is no doubt that demand and advocacy from outside the government until the last moment played an important role in bringing about the enactment, but the priority given to the Act for adoption in the Parliament indicates that the Government wanted to be faithful to its electoral commitment Right to information occupied a key position in the process building up to the national election to the 9th parliament held on December 29, 2008. All major political parties including the two major electoral alliances led by the ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) respectively recognized the importance of the RTI. The AL in particular committed in its election manifesto to ensure people's right to information, so did the BNP, though the former was more specific about it. RTI was also prominently at the core of public discourse and demand, media reports and commentaries. A close look at the AL manifesto for the 9th Parliament elections makes it easy to realize how RTI was dovetailed with its commitment to promote good governance and control corruption. In addition to specific commitment to ensure right to information, at least 13 more specific commitments stand out that can contribute to the creation of institutional and policy structures facilitating people's right to information. These are:

1) Making the parliament effective so that the government can be held accountable

2) Annual disclosure of wealth statement and source of income of the Prime Minister, members of the cabinet, Parliament members and their family members

3) Ensuring genuine independence and impartiality of the judiciary and the rule of law

4) Effectiveness and independence of the Anti-corruption Commission

5) Administrative reform to make it pro-people and free from politicization

6) Efficiency and merit to be established as the basis of appointment and promotion in public service, and curtailing the discretionary powers of officials

7) E-governance.

8) Police and other law enforcing agencies to be kept above political influence 9) Competitive market system in commerce and industry to be established by eliminating bribery and administrative difficulties and breaking the state or private monopoly 10) Strong measures against those having unearned and black money, loan defaulters, tender manipulators, and users of muscle power in every stage of state and society 11) Effective Human Rights Commission 12) Appointment of Ombudsman and 13) Introduction of Citizens Charter in every department and widespread computerization. The key first step towards implementing the RTI - generating the political will - therefore appears to have been taken.

Problems:

At the political level, commitment is one thing, while delivery can be quite different. The main challenge lies in the fact that information is power. It requires a paradigm shift including a major transformation of the mindset and attitudes to be able to share power and to own and internalize the culture of disclosure.

1. Developing a Strategy: Given the expectations created by the high-profile political commitments, right to information needs to be placed in a strategic framework and a plan of action with specific time frame. In developing the strategy all stakeholders, especially the civil society, NGO leaders, media and others must be involved in a participatory process, though the lead has to be taken by the Government represented by a relevant ministry or preferably the Cabinet Division. The lead authority will also develop an action plan. An inter-ministerial committee should coordinate and monitor the implementation of the action plan by the various government ministries and departments. NGOs and other institutions covered by the law should develop their own time-bound implementation and monitoring plan.

2. Capacity of the Information Commission: A key element of the strategy and action plan must be the Information Commission provided for by the Act, its capacity, independence, vibrancy and effectiveness. The Commission must be headed by Commissioners who have the highest degree of credibility, public trust, professional excellence and capacity, leadership quality and dynamism. As much as a Commission like this will be as effective in a country like Bangladesh as the Government of the day wants it to be, it must be sufficiently resourced - financial, human, technical. It should be independent and proactive. To be sure, the Commissioners and other human resources will be involved in addressing issues with a relatively unknown professional expertise and experience compounded by the challenge of confronting the problem of mindset. Their own training will therefore be of crucial importance. In addition to addressing the core jurisdiction of complains and appeals, the Commission should also be provided with the capacity to conduct public awareness campaigns in collaboration with other stakeholders, particularly the civil society. The awareness campaign should go beyond the Act and its provisions as such, and put specific emphasis on complains and appeals mechanisms, tools and processes that could ease the tension between the information providers and seekers. It should also contain information and communication plan delineating in plain language the scope of what should be expected of the law in order to be able to limit expectations which could lead to conflicts.
When developing the RTI Rules following from the Act the request procedures must be made simple and easily accessible to all in both urban and rural settings, keeping in view the problem of low literacy rate. Special provisions must be made to ensure that the centralized structure of administration that Bangladesh has does not act as a barrier to information requests and deliveries. In the absence of local offices of the proposed
Information Commission, public libraries and NGO offices can be dovetailed into the access system.

3. Breaking the culture of secrecy: The most formidable challenge facing democratic and accountable governance is secrecy. Secrecy leads to concentration of power and widening of discretion which are ingredients of poor and unaccountable governance. Most governments, and indeed also often the non-government organizations are used to doing things in a secretive fashion. Those in positions of power in the Government or outside are not normally comfortable disclosing information because this would be usually viewed to weaken the powerful position.
Openness is more easily preached than practiced, often because of lack of capacity and knowledge, but more often because of a mindset. It is crucial therefore, to work towards achieving a qualitative change of mindset breaking away from a culture of secrecy to culture of openness. Each institution covered by the RTI Act is under obligation to designate information officers with specific responsibility to provide information to the seekers. While all officials have to be oriented towards the mindset change, it is particularly important in case of information officers with provisions for their training and capacity-building. Equally important for effective implementation is clear dissemination of the process of applying for information and contact details of the information officers. Priority should be to train a core team of officials at various levels who could then train and sensitize peers and others.
It will not be easy to move towards the culture of openness, but the sooner the holders of information realize the virtue of sharing information - how it improves governance, builds trust and increases credibility- the better is the possibility of specific results. It requires huge and comprehensive efforts, which must be built on motivation of stakeholders on how the change of mindset benefits the information providers too.
Disclosure can, for instance, ease burden, improve credibility and acceptability, or even facilitate material benefits like entitling officials - public or private - to challenge decisions affecting themselves.

4. RTI- Friendly Information System: One of the most formidable challenges of implementing RTI is the lack of capacity of the information holders - institutions as well as individuals. It goes without saying that the information management system in Bangladesh is archaic, because of which the practical limitations in retrieving and providing information may also be conveniently exploited to deny and deceive information seekers. There is no alternative to developing a modern digital system of information management that would facilitate easy, dependable and secure archiving and retrieval with clear tracking indicators. Without this even with the best commitment and capacity the information system will remain insensitive to the letter and spirit of RTI.
The information management system must ensure the largest possible proactive disclosure which is helpful for both information providers and seekers. For other information to be available on request, classification in terms of obligation to disclose under the Act will be helpful. Like all RTI Laws, the Bangladesh Act has a list of exemptions, which must be very clearly defined and categorized to be able to avoid conflicts and meet the best standards.

5. RTI-friendly legal regime: Success in ensuring RTI depends very significantly on supportive legislation.16 The RTI Act itself should be constantly reviewed and analyzed to ensure that it actually facilitates and not restricts the people’s access to information. Like many other countries, in Bangladesh there is a number of legal and policy provisions that may make it difficult to enforce the RTI Act. Although the Act provides for precedence of its provisions over any other existing law that may contradict with this, grey areas may be easily found to prevent effective enforcement of RTI provisions.
Public officials may feel uncertain and insecure about what and how much to disclose and where to draw the line. Instruments like the Official Secrets Act 1923, Evidence Act 1872 (123-124), Rules of Business 1996 (Rule 28-1), Government Services Conduct Act 1979 (Rule 19) or the secrecy provision under the Oath (affirmation) of Appointment to public office may turn out to be among worst predicaments against breaking away from the culture of secrecy. The implementation process should include harmonizing all existing laws and regulations with the RTI Act so as to remove any inconsistencies and contradictions that could impede the prospect of implementation.
RTI and an effective Information Commission will require active support and enforcement from the courts and law-enforcement institutions. Independent judiciary and law enforcement agencies are a sine qua non for implementation of the RTI Act. Without an independent judiciary the right to information can turn out to be illusory. A prerequisite for building an RTI-supportive national integrity system is one in which key institutions of democracy are independent of partisan political influence supported by a firm constitutional jurisprudence favorably disposed to the concept of RTI.

6. The Civil Society and the Media: The civil society has a two-way stake in the implementation of the RTI in Bangladesh - as providers of information and as campaigners for implementation on both demand and supply side. Provisions of the Act applicable to the Government institutions in terms of providing information are equally applicable for non-governmental organizations. Indeed it is incumbent upon the NGOs as a sector and individually as separate entities to lead the process by adopting policies and time-bound implementation plan emphasizing more on proactive disclosure than on providing information on request. The civil society must also take active role in partnering with the Government in campaigning for supply side capacity building.

The more a society moves to implementation of the RTI, the more information would be available for the people. However, in practice it will be impossible, even for the most enlightened citizens, to effectively use all that is available. Apart from creating demand for citizen’s right to information in general, NGOs may play a very important role in developing and communicating various categories of materials containing information depending on areas of interest of members of the public, with special emphasis on what it is that should concern them and how they could demand and use those effectively in achieving their rights and entitlements. There are excellent examples of civil society role in enforcing people’s right to information. The experience of the MKSS in Rajasthan, India provides one of the most frequently noted grassroots approaches in implementing RTI. The MKSS has provided impetus to many other community initiatives to apply RTI in ensuring citizen’s access to rights and entitlements. Many NGOs have also taken the course of providing legal support to citizens with regard to their right to information. NGOs can build in RTI awareness in their own core and project activities and conduct advice and information campaign in public service delivery institutions in key areas like education, health, land administration, local government etc.
The substance of civil society role in RTI implementation is similar to that in most other areas of advocacy, which is to catalyze awareness and participation that would lead to empowerment of the disempowered, and thereby promote greater transparency, accountability and democratic practices. The civil society organizations like the RTI Forum can launch advocacy for public education campaigns through collaborative efforts involving government, civil society and media to ensure that people are aware of their right to information and of the procedures to exercise it. Educational and training institutions both public and private at various levels can be motivated to adopt special curricula for RTI awareness.

The role of civil society must also be strategic, with a special emphasis on partnerships particularly with the media, which has its own role to play as a primary stakeholder. The principal vehicle for taking information to the public is an independent and free media. More than any other stakeholder, a free media is strategically positioned to bring to the notice of the public the whole range of information freely, fairly and objectively keeping an eye on what concerns the public, what they want and need to know. In partnership with the civil society the media can play a crucial role in effective demand creation on behalf of the information seekers and in putting pressure on the supply side. Like the Judiciary a free media, as a strong pillar of democracy, can also hold the government and other institutions accountable in general as well as from the perspective of RTI.

Like any other sector, media is not also free from challenges. There can be conflict of interest between its function of informing the public and imperative to make profit.
Increasing concentration of media in business houses with political links can pose a challenge to the true spirit of RTI by influencing the opinion through purposive use of information. A strong and principled self-regulatory system within the media can be helpful.

With the growth of the Internet, which is also another potentially powerful stakeholder in RTI, the world of information is being increasingly democratized. Effective use of the Internet by the both public and private sector can truly free the information and communication system from domination of any particular authority.

Benefits of RTI:

Information empowers people to claim their rights and better represent their interests; popular demand makes democratic government more responsive and effective. The argument for RTI is persuasive; the practice is more challenging as the case of Bangladesh demonstrates.

The RTI Act of Bangladesh, adopted in April 2009, requires public bodies and non-governmental organizations that receive or use public/foreign funding to disclose to citizens information about what they do and how they work. The Act has set up an Information Commission to ensure compliance with the law. Despite some weaknesses (such as too many exemptions from disclosure) the statute is a significant achievement in a country where administration is steeped in secrecy.
The Information Commission believes good progress is being made with thousands of requests for information having been processed, officials designated to handle these requests at the local level, a website and a mobile phone campaign to sensitize citizens on the law.

Civil society groups claim little has changed in the official culture where citizens are treated as subjects and demands for disclosure as impertinent. Most people — including some designated officials — are not aware of the law and therefore do not use it. There is considerable confusion between request for information that is publicly available and RTI disclosure. Poor government records are a major obstacle even where officials want to respond positively.

RTI is about holding the government to account, and so its successful implementation depends on people actually using the law. Neither citizens at large nor NGOs nor the media have engaged much with the law. Why such lukewarm reception to a law that could potentially transform governance and democracy?
Unlike India, where the RTI law was the outcome of a mass movement demanding open government, in Bangladesh it was the result of pressure from a select group of civil society organizations and leaders. In that sense the RTI law is an elitist product — and elites do not need the Act; they use their networks.

It is the poor and the disempowered that could benefit the most from RTI. But most poor people in Bangladesh do not know about the law, and if they did, would be skeptical about it. The state has constantly failed the poor — so why should they believe that if they demand information they will get it? Or that they will not face reprisals if they dare ask a question? And even if they receive the information, the path from information to action to outcome is so arduous that even the wealthy sometimes fail — so what chance do poor people have of achieving change?
More engagement by NGOs could help to overcome the ignorance, fear and cynicism of poor people. But RTI is a double-edged sword for most NGOs who are not only its clients but also its subjects. Some NGOs fear that if they press the government, it will retaliate by using the law to expose their own weaknesses. So they keep a distance from RTI.
Besides, most NGOs in Bangladesh are service oriented. They do not understand rights and even less how RTI can be used to empower people and improve governance and democracy.

The media are ambivalent about RTI. The process is cumbersome and many journalists can get better and faster information through their own informal channels. Indeed, some journalists pride themselves on their secret, exclusive sources. So they too have kept away from RTI.

It is against this background that the work of Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB) provides some interesting insights. In a year-long initiative RIB trained animators selected from marginalized communities on the RTI law. These animators then worked with their communities to create awareness and instill confidence in the people that they could use the law with results and without fear of reprisals.
These efforts generated some 230 RTI requests for information on safety net programmes, health services, land distribution, scholarships and other government services. Of these queries, 65 led to appeals at the higher level and 15 complaints ended up with the Information Commission. In total, 45 applications succeeded in the first instance and 6 on appeal. A success rate of around 22% may not seem impressive at first sight- but for those whom the state has never acknowledged before, it has been riveting.

Furthermore, in a number of cases, when people demanded disclosure, they didn’t get an answer but they got the benefit, the denial of which had motivated their query. Officials, fearful that RTI would expose their corrupt practices, pre-empted the process by conceding the benefits. Arishi community got an arsenic-free tube well; several elderly robidas, bedes and Munda persons were given old age pensions; others were enlisted for the government’s homestead programme for the poor, and so on.

So, what can we learn from this exercise? The poor can ask questions — not just any question but those that are uncomfortable and expose vested interests, and the state is compelled to respond when challenged by empowered, persistent citizens. Demand (for information) creates supply (for responsive government), and so the strategy to make RTI work has to be to generate more demand.

What organizations like RIB, Nijera Kori and some others are doing is only scratching the surface of what can potentially happen. RTI is about much more than resolving individual grievances. It is about making government open and accountable, shifting power from the ruler to the ruled and transforming the relationship between citizen and state.
In the words of Aruna Roy, a leading Indian activist, “…the right to information lets the cat amongst the pigeons, upsets comfortable but unholy alliances and opens the doors for democratic debate.” In Rajasthan, where Roy worked, a demand for information about public works instigated a mass public campaign and social audits that not only challenged corruption and the arbitrary exercise of power but also created a new model of participatory democracy and political accountability of the powerful to the poor.
In Bangladesh, the first two years of RTI has demonstrated — if only in a very limited way — that individual citizen can force the state to improve its delivery. But in the next phase, if those efforts are to lead to systemic change, there needs to be a scaling up of individual requests into collective demands and mass campaigns. Just as public interest litigation has changed judicial decision-making, public interest information campaigns can energize grassroots participatory democracy and change the face of development in this country.

Applications of RTI:

Story 1: Rezia Khatun used the RTI Act to get a Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) card
Rezia Khatun is a 36-year-old widow whose husband died suddenly three years ago. She has three sons. Her eldest son started a new life after his marriage. Rezia, responsible for her other two boys and with no other way out, was forced to become a beggar. She began making a living by begging in different villages every morning. She had no land except a tiny house space. It seemed that begging was her only option.

The Problem: Rezia Khatun lacked access to the VGD program
One day, Rezia met Sabikunnahar, who is an activist and infomediary trained by D.Net in the Meghshimul village of Ghagra Union. Rezia learned from Sabikunnahar that the group could help her to access various government services. Her hope was renewed, and thus she joined the group. She started to spend two hours a day per week in group sessions.

Rezia’s RTI application and action taken
During the sessions, she watched videos about different government programs such as: VGD cards, allowances for widows, and allowances for the elderly. She asked Sabikunnahar how to get a VGD card, and Sabikunnahar suggested asking the Union Parishad for this information. Rezia hesitated to meet the Chairman of the Union Parishad by herself, and she asked Sabikunnahar for assistance. Sabikunnahar brought her to the Ghagra Union Parishad, and explained Rezia‘s situation to the Chairman. The Chairman expressed his commitment to arrange for an allowance for Rezia. Yet Rezia did not receive a VGD card. Later on, Sabikunnahar learned that the government was allocating more VGD cards and told Rezia to apply for a VGD card. The Union Parishad Chairman discarded Rezia‘s application, saying that there was no additional allotment of VGD cards in the UP in the fiscal year.
Hopeless, Rezia asked Sabikunnahar to take action. Sabikunnahar communicated with the UP and learned that in Purbodhla Upazila, MPs were distributing VGD cards through party members instead of allotting them in Union Parishads. Sabikunnahar advised Rezia to submit an information request to the UP Secretary under the RTI Act. In the application, she requested how many VGD cards had been allotted to Ghagra Union that year, whether she was eligible for acquiring a VGD card or not, and how VGD cards were distributed.
The UP Secretary complied with the RTI application and provided the information about the allotment of VGD cards, which showed that Rezia was in fact eligible to receive one. As a result, the UP Chairman was compelled to allot a VGD card for her. After getting the VGD card, Rezia was no longer forced to beg.

Lesson learned
Individuals are empowered when they can request information from the government about the eligibility and allocation of social protection programs, which are often ripe for RTI interventions. The RTI Act has the potential to ensure that the entitlements go to those who need it most, thus it is a powerful tool for the poor and their advocates.

Story 2: Rafiqul Islam demands information to bring transparency to the distribution of grains
The Food and Disaster Management Ministry implements a safety net program called Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) to provide food security for vulnerable groups, particularly in the aftermath of natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, and droughts, as well as when work is unavailable. VGF is designed to provide one or more months of food ration to households in a period of distress or when acquiring food becomes difficult to them. In order to access the program, beneficiaries need to have a VGF card.
Mr. Rafiqul Islam is a farmer who lives in Lemshikhali Union Parishad, in Kutubdia Upazila, in Cox‘s Bazar District. He used to work in salt panning, but lost his business due to the severe cyclone of 1991, which led to major financial losses for his business. Since then Rafiqul has been involved in farming, and in his free time he provides social services for the poor in his community. As a result, the local people elected him a ―Change Maker‖. A local NGO partner of the Manusher Jonno Foundation, Bangladesh Disaster Preparedness Centre, organized a training program on social accountability and good governance in 2009, which Rafiqul attended. At this training he learned about the RTI Act and how ordinary citizens could access government-held information.

The Problem: Lack of information about VGF allocations

In November 2009, Rafiqul heard that the government was planning to distribute rice free of cost in the Lemshikhali Union Parishad under the VGF scheme. Instead of applying for information through the RTI Act, he called the Project Implementation Officer (PIO) of Kutubdia Upazila to inquire about the quantity of rice that each VGF cardholder would receive. However the PIO did not give him any information.
Rafiqul’s request for information

After the denial from the PIO, the next day Rafiqul visited the PIO‘s office and stated that he was well informed about the RTI Act, and it is the duty of the PIO to inform citizens about government initiatives. On hearing this, the PIO informed him that 10 kilogram (kg) of rice had been allocated per person to 2,725 inhabitants of Lemshikali Union Parishad. Though Rafiqul did not make a formal RTI request, he received the information he had asked for from the concerned government official – because he was aware of his right to know as per the RTI Act.

Impact of the information

On the day that the rice was distributed at the UP office, people who had queued up for the food grain were informed by the Chairman that each person with a VGF card would be entitled to 7 kg of rice. Upon hearing this, Rafiqul informed everyone that he had been told by the PIO that each person was entitled to 10 kg of rice rather than 7 kg. In response, the people demanded the full amount instead of 7 kg. The UP Chairman argued that it was not possible for him to provide the entire amount, as he had to consider the costs for transportation and other related expenses. However, since the people were aware of what had been allotted to them, they staged a protest. As a result the Chairman was compelled to distribute 9.5 kg rice to each person.

Lesson learned

Even without making a written request under the RTI Act, citizens can compel government officials to disclose public information. Ultimately, the officer in this case responded verbally with the requested information when he learned of the responsibility to disclose information per the mandate of the RTI Act. While it is generally preferred to rely on written applications and responses, this case illustrates how the concept of the RTI Act can engender change within a bureaucratic culture that often reacts against the idea of sharing information.

Story 3: The use of RTI for environmental advocacy against illegal building.

Manusher Jonno Foundation

The Problem: Construction of the BGMEA tower violates government regulations

In 1998, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) started the construction of a new building in Hatirjheel, Dhaka. The construction of the BGMEA Tower was contested by those who considered it a violation of legal procedures in the existing regulatory framework. The main issue is the site of the BGMEA Tower, which forms a part of the Hatirjheel, which was once a huge body of water and helped drain rain water during monsoon. Due to this, it is a concern for environmentalists, particularly as the land was used in the building‘s construction and lacked formal registration and approval. It did not follow the Urban Development Act, 1953 and the Water Body Preservation Act. Additionally, the 15-story structure was built on land that is government-owned, without approval from RAJUK (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipokkho), the city development authority. The land had been set aside for the Begunbari-Hatirjheel integrated development project. The main objective of this project is to drain out stagnant water from the city quickly during the rainy season. Thus, the BGMEA tower built on land filling that was a part of the Hatirjheel lake has been said to be the main reason for chronic and severe water-logging in Dhaka city. The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), urban experts, academics, and environmentalists have repeatedly called on the government to demolish the BGMEA building because it is right in the middle of the canal, it and ‗defies the law in the heart of the city.‘

RTI application and action taken

The use of the RTI Act has been quite encouraging throughout the entire process. On July 8, 2009 BELA, a partner organization of MJF, for the very first time, submitted an information request based on the RTI Act to RAJUK. The information request encompassed the following: approval of the BGMEA building plan, the rationale behind approving BGMEA to construct a building in a public body of water, and the processes etc. Following the RTI Act request, BELA waited for 20 working days, but no information was provided. On December 17, 2009, BELA submitted another information request. This time additional information was sought to determine whether RAJUK had appointed a Designated Information Officer (DIO) following the stipulations of the RTI Act. This attempt failed as well. Then an appeal was made to the Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Public Works (MOHPW) as the appellate authority. This was also unsuccessful. Then BELA made a complaint to the Information Commission (IC). In response to this complaint, the IC ordered RAJUK to provide the name of the DIO and his/her appellate authority. Apart from this, the IC ordered RAJUK to inform the Commission about the actions taken in response to BELA‘s complaint within seven days. ―Otherwise legal action would be taken,‖ the IC warned RAJUK. RAJUK remained silent, violating the order of the IC. On July 22, 2010, a legal notice was sent to the Chairman of RAJUK.
Finally all these efforts resulted in RAJUK handing over the requested information to BELA on September 19, 2010. The collected information clearly indicated that approval for the sale of the building was given upon fulfilment of some legal conditions, which were not followed afterwards.
A report was published in a daily newspaper called The New Age on October 2, 2010. The BGMEA building was reportedly built without the permission of RAJUK.

Fig: BGMEA building

[pic]
This report drew the attention of public authorities along with many people. Accordingly, a legal case started in court. This turns into a movement to ensure that proper procedures are followed and the land is used in the best interest of the people. The lawyers of BELA submitted the documents to the court that had been collected through the use of RTI Act. BELA President Rezwana Hasan in a hearing stated: "this (construction of the building) has violated some laws including the Environmental Act."

Impact of the information

In the court ruling it was noted that the BGMEA had no ownership of the land on which the building was constructed and that the authorities must evict it. The BGMEA building was ordered to be demolished due to this violation of the law. Concerned offices were given time to move to other locations. As per the RTI Act, BELA found that RAJUK had not nominated a DIO, and BELA made a complaint to the Information Commission. After receiving order from the Commission, RAJUK appointed a DIO.

Lesson learned

The RTI Act is a powerful tool for advocacy, as environmental advocacy around the BGMEA building demonstrates. The use of the RTI Act contributed to the efforts to show that the building had been erected in violation of environmental laws. On the other hand, this process led to strengthening the implementation of the RTI Act within public agencies by compelling RAJUK to appoint a DIO. When an RTI application is made and pursued, it can result in government agencies promoting better compliance with the Act.

E-Governance:

E–Governance is a strategy which is concerned with the reconstructing and redesigning the administration at every level in order to make the Government more transparent, efficient and service oriented. It requires pro-active leadership and active participation of all who are concerned. Information and Communication Technology provides effective management tools for collecting, storing and manipulating and communicating data in real time through computer networks. This ability of ICT is being used to conduct day-to-day work of Government authorities and citizens are supposed to receive better service through e-governance. A joint research initiative for the study of e-government sponsored by the United Nations Division for Public Economics and Public Administration and the American Society for Public Administration defined e-government as, "utilizing the internet and the world wide web for delivering government information and services to citizens.” According to the World Bank, e-government refers to governmental use of information technologies (such as Wide Area Networks, the Internet, and mobile computing) that have the ability to transform relations with citizens, businesses, and other agencies of government. UNESCO defines e-governance as “E-Governance is the public sector’s use of information and communication technologies with the aim of improving information and service delivery, encouraging citizen participation in the decision-making process and making government more accountable, transparent and effective.”

ICT offers three information processes to promote governance. --Automation: replacing current human-executed processes, which involve accepting, storing, processing, outputting or transmitting information (i.e., the automation of existing clerical functions). --Informatization: supporting current human-executed information processes, namely supporting current processes of decision-making, communication, and decision implementation. --Transformation: creating new ICT-executed information processes or supporting new human-executed information processes. For example, creating new methods of public service delivery.

Conclusion
Implementation of RTI will empower citizens, the common people. It will hold authorities in and outside the Government accountable. It will strengthen democracy, promote good governance. It will devolve authority, curtail discretion. But it will be resisted. The resistance may emerge, not very surprisingly, from within the stakeholders.
Public officials may resist it because openness reduces the range of discretion; political leaders may resist because transparency reduces the scope of unaccountable use of power or influence; opposition to RTI may come from private business houses who tend to gain in a culture of secrecy; NGOs may resist because of gains from non-disclosure; media may play a negative role by using information to promote vested interests; failure of key institutions of the national integrity system especially the judiciary and law-enforcement bodies to enforce the rule of law may prevent RTI to be established. Above all the civil society organizations that must play the most important demand creating role may also fail to do so because of their own failure to promote proactive disclosure on the one hand, and because of polarization, unhealthy competition and lack of unity. Such challenges cannot, however, dampen the high expectations and extraordinary opportunity created by the RTI Act. The knowledge that challenges exist can rather help develop the strategies and policy actions to implement the RTI. Implementation of RTI, as earlier indicated, is much more difficult than adoption of the Act; it is a multi-stakeholder challenge; it requires a comprehensive approach; and it will yield result only when there is a full-fledged and committed ownership of all stakeholders, especially internalization of the benefits of the concept of the right to information by the demand side as well as the supply side - those who need the information and those who hold them.

Recommendation:

Creation of RTI Implementation Cell by appropriate Governments:
To ensure co-ordination between the appropriate Government and the Information Commission in discharging the duties mandated under the RTI Act, it is recommended that there should be an RTI Implementation Cell under the appropriate Government. This Cell should be under the leadership of a senior level bureaucrat. This Cell is expected to set up implementation measures to promote compliance by the Public Authorities and oversee the status of implementation.

Massive awareness campaign
A massive awareness campaign is necessary to educate the citizens about the RTI Act and encourage citizen involvement. The awareness program must especially target the vulnerable categories of citizens such as: (i) women; (ii) farmers and rural families; and (iii) middle and working class, for whom most of the social benefit schemes of the Government are targeted.

RTI Call Centre
The RTI call centre could be a single nodal point used by citizens for filing RTI applications/appeals/complaints over the telephone. Additionally, it could also serve as a centralized database of all the RTI applications received and the respective responses.

Bibliography:

1. The power of using right to information act in Bangladesh.5-12. Retrieved from http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/programs/ai/rti/international/laws_papers/bangladesh/RTI%20Cases%20in%20Bangladesh-September%202011.pdf

2. Zaman I. Implementing right to information in Bangladesh: opportunities and challenges.3-11. Retrieved from http://www.ti-bangladesh.org/banner_right/RTI-pap-210609-2.pdf 3. Hasan Murad M.(2010). Improving transparency through Right to Information and e-Governance: a Bangladesh Perspective, 6, 1,1,3-16. Retrieved from http://www.opengovjournal.org/article/view/6107 4. Retrieved from http://rti.gov.in/rticorner/studybypwc/recommendation.pdf