TIB urges urgent revival of info commission
Staff Reporter :
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has criticised the government’s failure to revive the Information Commission more than a year after the end of authoritarian rule, calling the prolonged inactivity of the body a major obstacle to transparency and accountability.
The organisation urged the interim government to act immediately by appointing qualified, independent individuals through a transparent and credible process.
In a statement issued on Saturday to mark the International Day for Universal Access to Information, TIB said the commission remains in a state of “paralysis,” leaving citizens without an effective mechanism to uphold their right to information.
Alongside the reconstitution of the body, TIB also demanded reforms to the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2009 to transform the commission into a functional and independent institution.
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman expressed frustration that despite civil society repeatedly raising concerns and making recommendations, no action has been taken.
“Although the interim government has taken some initiatives for state reform, no steps have been taken to reconstitute the Information Commission or to update the RTI Act. This indifference is deeply unfortunate and one of the major failures of the interim administration,” he said.
He noted that in the absence of an active commission, citizens’ RTI complaints are neither heard nor resolved. Training programmes for information officers have slowed, and initiatives related to RTI are moving at a “sluggish pace.”
As a result, secrecy within state institutions remains entrenched, and proactive disclosure of information has not become the norm.
Although the RTI Act created the Information Commission as a statutory independent body, TIB argues it has never been implemented effectively. Political unwillingness, lack of coordination between government and civil society, and partisan appointments has undermined its role.
“Instead of promoting transparency, the commission became symbolic, with some commissioners carrying partisan loyalties,” Iftekharuzzaman observed.
The TIB chief stressed that without an effective commission, the RTI Act has failed to set precedents for accountability in public institutions. To ensure universal access to information and meaningful citizen participation, TIB outlined 15 recommendations.
These include amending the RTI Act in line with stakeholder feedback, expanding its scope to cover political parties and privately owned entities, and requiring parties to publish detailed income and expenditure reports through the Election Commission.
Other proposals call for recognising the RTI Act as a safeguard for freedom of expression and dissent, abolishing restrictive laws that limit access to information, and using digital platforms to improve accessibility.
TIB concluded that reviving the Information Commission is essential not only for citizens’ rights but also for strengthening democracy, transparency, and accountability in Bangladesh.