‘Preventing misinfo equally important’

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon on Sunday said that ensuring people’s right to information remains one of the top priorities of the incumbent government, alongside protecting citizens from misinformation and disinformation.

“However, apart from ensuring free flow of information, it is equally important to protect the people by preventing the spread of misinformation and disinformation,” he said, reports BSS.

The minister made the remarks while addressing a view-exchange meeting with members of the core group of the Right to Information Forum at the ministry’s meeting room at the Secretariat this morning.
Speaking as the chief guest, he said there were specific reasons behind the suspension of the Right to Information (Amendment) Ordinance in the Jatiya Sangsad.

Swapon said the spread of misinformation has also increased alongside the free flow of information. “So, in addition to ensuring the flow of information, we must also seriously consider the issue of its accountability,” he added.

He noted that it would not be sufficient only to expand access to information, stressing that an effective law would be formulated by taking into account the opinions and recommendations of experienced stakeholders in the Right to Information Act.

“The more information, the more truth – for this reason, it is very important to ensure the free flow of information. To this end, we also have to decide how to protect the institutional character of the Information Commission,” he said.

The minister sought constructive recommendations from participants for amending the Right to Information Act and emphasised the need for fact-checking and screening of information.