Staff Reporter :
Dr. Badiul Alam Majumder, head of the Electoral System Reform Commission, has stated that although the dictator has fallen, friends of fascists still exist in various sectors, and harassment continues in different forms.
He emphasized that this harassment must be stopped soon.
He made these remarks at an exchange meeting organised at the NGO Affairs Bureau in the capital on Sunday (September 29).
Dr. Majumder shared that he himself was once harassed for requesting information.
He had asked the Bangladesh Bank for information regarding money laundering, but the Information Commission refused to provide it. Consequently, he had to take the matter to court.
He also recounted that, before the last election, he sought information about how the Election Commission was appointed and which political party proposed the name of the commissioner.
However, the Information Commission declined to release the information, claiming it was “sensitive.”
Regarding freedom of information, Dr. Majumder asserted, “The citizens are the true owners of the state.
Even sensitive information should be accessible to them. Citizens must be proactive in demanding sensitive information.
If we wish to obtain information about political parties, we need to take action in that regard. If a political party is not democratic, the right to access free information cannot be established.”