The interim government failed to form the Information Commission, and the current government is heading in the same direction, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman has said.
“The interim government failed to form the commission. Many of those who were in the government were our friends. We held their hands and urged them to form the commission. They failed. The current government has completed seven months and is heading in the same direction,” he said.
Iftekharuzzaman made the remarks at a conference in Dhaka on Tuesday, marking International Right To Know Day 2026.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman: “The government has been extremely eager to form the commission but has failed, and is heading towards creating this world record. It is extremely embarrassing. This is a violation of the law. When ordinary people violate the law, we are held accountable. What happens when the government violates the law?”
“The only judgment for the government is the people’s trust. If it loses that trust, it is reflected in different ways. History reminds everyone of that,” he also said.
Iftekharuzzaman said he hoped the commission would be genuinely independent and impartial.
“We want to remain hopeful that the commission will be truly independent and capable of working impartially,” he said.
“Although the track record does not give me much reason for optimism, I want to see what kind of commission is actually formed,” he added.
He said forming the commission was a major challenge for the government.
“It is a major challenge for the government to give the people a commission that will increase their confidence in the Information Commission and, through that, increase their confidence in the government,” he said.
Iftekharuzzaman also criticized what he described as the politicization of institutions.
“Even after the current government took responsibility, we have seen politicization in these kinds of institutions,” he said.
He said the Information Commission had previously been operated by party cadres and warned against a repeat of the same situation.
“In the past, the Information Commission was operated by party cadres and the doors were closed to us. If the same situation happens again, or even if something similar happens, I do not want to rule out that possibility,” he said.
He said the government appeared to be conflating the RTI law with measures aimed at addressing misinformation.
“Now the government is trying, intentionally or unintentionally, to mix up the issue of the Information Commission and amendments to the Right to Information Act with misinformation,” he said.
“There is nowhere in the world where you mix up the right to information with misinformation, disinformation or false information. You make separate laws to regulate misinformation and false information. But the right to information and misinformation are completely different things,” he said.
RTI awareness remains low despite high demand
The remarks came as the findings of the Bangladesh Right to Information National Survey 2026, titled Reality Check and Pathways for Breakthrough, were presented at the event.
The survey was conducted by Principal Investigator Dr Ananya Raihan and was based on responses from 3,200 citizens, 100 designated officers, 20 appellate authorities, 15 focus group discussions and an analysis of 100 Information Commission decisions from 2018 to 2024.
The survey found that 72.4% of citizens need government or institutional information, up from 68.3% in 2019.
Citizens most frequently sought information on employment, development projects, social safety-net programs, education, government initiatives, agriculture and allocation of public funds.
Overall awareness of the RTI Act increased from 7.7% in 2019 to 10.5% in 2025.
However, knowledge of the procedures for exercising the right remains low.
Among citizens who had heard of the RTI law, 69.5% knew only the name of the law. Only 18% knew what information they could request, while 9.3% knew the legal timeframe for receiving information, down from 16.3% in 2019. Only 8.5% knew how to submit an application.
There was also considerable confusion over where complaints should be filed when information is denied. While 44.5% believed a union parishad chairman handled complaints, only 19.9% correctly identified the Information Commission.
Social media has become an increasingly important source of awareness, rising from 11% in 2019 to 33.3%. Television’s share declined from 47.7% to 25.2%.
The proportion of aware citizens who had filed RTI applications increased from 2.8% to 4.6%.
The proportion receiving information within the prescribed timeframe rose from 13.2% to 48.5%. However, the rate of applicants receiving acknowledgement fell from 75.4% to 43.8%, while overall positive experiences declined from 55.8% to 48.5%.
The survey also found a major shift in the institutions citizens approached for information. Applications to the Election Commission rose nearly eightfold, from 3.3% to 24.8%, while applications to union parishads declined from 27.9% to 14.2%.
According to the survey, 86% of complaints filed with the Information Commission resulted from inactivity by appellate authorities or unreasonable rejection of applications.
In 63% of cases, it took more than 30 days for complaints to be admitted for hearing.
The survey found that 23% of positive decisions by the Information Commission were never implemented, while 15% of cases required a second complaint because the decisions were not followed.
The survey identified institutional harassment and fear of retaliation as major barriers to using the RTI law.
Fifty-nine percent of citizens said women face greater barriers when seeking information. Administrative negligence was identified as a major obstacle for women by 32.7% of respondents, while 14.1% cited direct harassment.
BLAST Honorary Executive Director Barrister Sara Hossain said fear was one of the major reasons people did not use the RTI law.
“People think that if they ask a question, they may face trouble again. In a country where many people do not seek legal remedies even after suffering injustice because they fear that their rights may be violated again, or that they themselves could be made the accused, it is understandable that people would be afraid to raise questions through the RTI law,” she said.
She said marginalised, poor and powerless people were particularly unable to use the law.
“The question is how we can change this situation,” she said.
Hossain urged the authorities to make the Information Commission functional without waiting for a perfect reform process.
“Whatever shortcomings there may be in the Information Commission, we should now try to make it functional. Once the commission starts working, opportunities for reform will emerge through its work. But if we wait for a ‘perfect’ reform, the situation we are going through cannot continue indefinitely,” she said.
She noted that two and a half years had already passed and said the current situation could not continue indefinitely.
EU Delegation First Counsellor Kamila Partyka said the survey highlighted a significant gap between citizens’ need for information and their awareness of the RTI framework.
“More than 72% of citizens surveyed say they need or expect to need information, while only slightly over 10% are aware of the RTI framework. So, this is a huge gap that exists, and closing this gap is not only about increasing awareness. It is also about ensuring that information is accessible, timely, usable, and that institutions are equipped to provide it,” she said.
“Access to information is a fundamental element of transparent, accountable and participatory governance. It enables citizens to understand decisions that affect their lives, access public services, participate meaningfully in public affairs and hold institutions accountable,” she said.
MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam said the RTI Act, enacted in 2009 following a campaign involving civil society, journalists, human rights activists and other organizations, was intended to strengthen good governance and government accountability.
“The purpose was to ensure good governance, accountability of the government and openness by moving away from a culture of secrecy. We all are taxpayers. This law has given us the right to question the government,” she said.
“The purpose was for every citizen to be able to seek information freely and without fear. How much we have achieved that purpose and how much we have not, you will judge,” she added.
The survey found that 91.6% of citizens considered the RTI Act a “very good law”, while 56% believed it could improve the quality of public services.
It recommended proactive disclosure of information on land, budgets and public services, legal protection for information seekers against retaliation, amendments to address gaps in the 2009 RTI Act and a digital “Citizen Connect” platform for submitting and tracking applications.