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Govt officials not cooperative with info seekers

TIB roundtable on RTI act implementation told

Staff Correspondent
The Right to Information Act 2009, which allows mass people access to state-held information, is not properly implemented as government officials refuse to reveal information, speakers said at a roundtable in the capital yesterday.
The discussion, "Creating Demand for RTI Act 2009 Implementation: Challenges and Solutions", was organised at Brae Centre by Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) to mark International Right to Know Day on September 28.
“Government officials often refuse to cooperate, claiming that the information sought is classified," said Information Commissioner Sadeka Halim.
Authorities decline to share even very common information that should be publicly open, said Shaheen Anam, executive
director of Manusher Jonno Foundation. "Information like the list of VGD (vulnerable group development) card holders is withheld," she said.
Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said only a negligible amount of government data was classified information protected by the Official Secrets Act. “Such officials are merely being unhelpful. If they refuse to cooperate, legal action can be taken against them."
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said even information about the Rampal power plant and the Padma bridge projects could be sought using this act.
In addition, speakers said, people lack awareness about the act.
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"Applications seeking information from authorities haven't been up to the expectation. Only 16,475 applications were filed in 2012. This number is extremely low given that bad governance is a part of the daily life of everyone, " said Shaheen Anam.
Tahmina Rahman, executive director of Article 19, suggested that setting up
regional offices of the Information Commission could encourage more applications.
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu urged NGOs to aware people. The act can ensure accountability of both public servants and elected officials, he said.
Chief Information Commissioner Mohammad Faruk also spoke at the event.