‘Information Commission to function with full impartiality, independence’

The Information Commission will function with full impartiality and independence, without favouring the government or any individual or group, Chief Information Commissioner Professor Dr Nahreen Islam Khan said on Thursday.

She said the commission would maintain a neutral position and work strictly in accordance with the law to uphold people's right to information.

Speaking at a press briefing at the commission's office in Dhaka, she unveiled its 100-day roadmap, outlining a series of initiatives to improve access to information and clear a backlog of complaints.

“As part of the roadmap, hearings on 917 complaints accumulated over the past two years will begin on 16 November. More than 200 additional complaints have been received since the new commission assumed office,” she said, adding that the complaints would be disposed of in phases.

The commission will also organise a week-long Right to Information (RTI) Fair at three public and four private universities in Dhaka towards the end of November to raise awareness among students about their right to information.

It also plans to hold smaller RTI fairs at schools in collaboration with non-governmental organisations.

Nahreen said journalists, content creators and politicians would be included in training programmes to improve their understanding of the right to information and promote the responsible use and dissemination of information.

The commission will also monitor whether government, semi-government and foreign-funded organisations publish their budgets and other required information on their websites. It will take necessary steps, including issuing notices to organisations that fail to comply with the requirements.

Letters have also been sent to universities encouraging them to formulate information disclosure policies, following the example of the University of Rajshahi.

Information Commissioner Mahfuzur Rahman said the media was a key stakeholder in upholding people's right to information, adding that coordinated efforts between the media and the commission could help strengthen transparency and accountability in society and public administration.

He said artificial intelligence had created new opportunities for the free flow of information and democratic practices, but had also increased the risks of misinformation, disinformation and misleading content.

Against this backdrop, journalists must ensure that information disseminated to the public is objective, reliable and verified, he said.

He also encouraged journalists to seek assistance from the commission in preparing investigative reports, saying they could invoke the Right to Information Act if they faced obstacles in collecting information.