A New Beginning for Information Commission

The appointment of Professor Dr Nahreen Islam Khan as Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), alongside SAM Mahfuzur Rahman and Khan Mohammad Abul Hossain as Information Commissioners, offers an opportunity to revitalise Bangladesh’s Information Commission and restore public confidence in its ability to uphold the right to information. We welcome the appointments and hope the new leadership will demonstrate the independence, impartiality and commitment to transparency that this important statutory institution demands.
Chief Information Commissioner Nahreen Islam Khan has made an encouraging start by declaring that the commission will work for the people, not for any government or individual. Her commitment to ensuring citizens’ access to information, raising public awareness and simplifying the process of seeking information reflects the spirit of the Right to Information Act. These must now translate into concrete actions that make the commission accessible, effective and accountable to all citizens.
Established to promote transparency and accountability in public administration, the Information Commission has a crucial role in strengthening democratic governance. The right to information is not a privilege granted by those in power; it is a fundamental democratic entitlement that enables citizens to understand government decisions, scrutinise public expenditure, expose irregularities and demand accountability from public authorities. An effective commission can help bridge the gap between the state and its citizens by ensuring that public information is not withheld arbitrarily.
Despite its existence for nearly 17 years, the commission has yet to make the kind of meaningful impact that citizens have a right to expect. The new leadership must therefore go beyond declarations of noble intentions. It should establish a clear institutional direction, ensure the timely disposal of complaints and appeals, strengthen compliance with disclosure obligations and make information-seeking procedures easier for ordinary citizens. Special attention should be given to people who lack the resources, influence or knowledge to navigate bureaucratic obstacles.
The commission’s responsibility extends beyond serving the media. Journalists are important users of the right to information, but students, researchers, civil society organisations and ordinary citizens also depend on it to exercise their democratic rights. An independent and effective commission must protect everyone’s access to public information without discrimination or political consideration.
In this context, the remarks attributed to Information Commissioner SAM Mahfuzur Rahman in an interview over the phone with Daily Waada, made even before he assumed his new responsibilities, are a matter of concern. His criticism of newspapers over what he described as clickbait journalism, particularly if it overlooks the importance of factual reporting and responsible journalism, risks sending an unhelpful message at the outset of his tenure. While concerns about accuracy, sensationalism and professional standards in journalism are legitimate subjects for public debate, they must be addressed with balance, evidence and respect for the media’s essential democratic role.
Blaming newspapers without adequately acknowledging the broader challenges of access to information, official secrecy and public accountability is unlikely to foster constructive engagement. Coming from someone appointed to an institution entrusted with protecting citizens’ right to information, such remarks may also be perceived as an attempt to lecture or intimidate the media. That perception must be avoided. The commission should be a facilitator of transparency, not a critic seeking to prescribe how independent newspapers should operate.
Responsible journalism requires accuracy, verification and fairness. Equally, responsible public institutions must be open to scrutiny, answer legitimate questions and refrain from treating critical reporting as hostility. Media freedom and the right to information reinforce each other; neither can flourish fully without the other.
We recall that SAM Mahfuzur Rahman was appointed speechwriter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on March 2 this year. The Ministry of Public Administration, in its gazette notification announcing the contractual appointment, explicitly stated that the appointment was conditional upon his relinquishing any employment or professional engagement with any other profession, business, or government, semi-government or private institution or organisation. The notification further stipulated that his tenure would continue for the duration of the prime minister's term or until further orders, whichever came first.
With Mahfuzur Rahman now appointed to the Information Commission, it is evident that he is no longer serving as the Prime Minister’s speechwriter. His departure from the previous position is a matter of fact, irrespective of how individual newspapers have reported it. Yet, regrettably, his response to such reporting appears to focus more on criticising the newspapers than on acknowledging the straightforward implications of his new appointment. That is unfortunate, particularly for someone who has now assumed a responsibility at an institution expected to uphold transparency, accountability and the public’s right to know. Daily Waadaa report says, "Journalist SAM Mahfuzur Rahman, who has been appointed an information commissioner, has criticised media reports about his reassignment, accusing newspapers of practising “click-bait journalism”. Mahfuzur questioned the reporting by some newspapers but did not directly address the circumstances surrounding his removal.
The appointment of a woman as Chief Information Commissioner is also a welcome development, although the commission’s success must ultimately be judged by its performance rather than the identity of its leadership. Professor Nahreen Islam Khan and her fellow commissioners now have an opportunity to demonstrate that the institution can serve as a genuinely independent guardian of the public’s right to know.
We welcome the new appointments and expect the commissioners to uphold the highest standards of integrity, neutrality and accountability. Their foremost duty is to the citizens of Bangladesh. They must ensure that the Information Commission becomes an effective defender of transparency, a dependable ally of the public and a steadfast protector of the democratic principles underpinning freedom of expression and the right to information.
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The writer is a scholar