Md Mahfuj Alam, adviser for Information and Broadcasting, stated that the Information Commission will be formed soon and a proposal for the formation of the commission has already been sent on behalf of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The adviser made these remarks on Sunday at a discussion session in Agargaon, Dhaka, on the occasion of International Right to Information Day, 2025.
Highlighting the government’s goodwill in amending the Right to Information Act, the adviser said that, based on the recommendations of the Public Administration Reform Commission and the Media Reform Commission, the process of amending certain sections of the law is underway. The opinions of relevant stakeholders are also being considered in amending the Right to Information Act.
Mahfuj Alam said that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and its subordinate departments and organizations are working on the implementation of the Right to Information Act. He called upon all relevant parties to ensure the free flow of information.
In her special address, Mahbuba Farjana, secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said that the current interim government aims to ensure the free flow of information. The ministry is working to achieve that goal. Highlighting the theme of International Right to Information Day, she said that environmental information not only increases public awareness but also helps citizens make informed decisions. The secretary emphasized reducing technological inequality in information access.
Participating in the discussion, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, said that due to the delay in forming the Information Commission over the past year, many appeals regarding information access have not been resolved. This has hindered citizens’ access to information. He urged the government to form the Information Commission within a short time. Regarding the amendment of the Right to Information Act, he said that political parties and business organizations need to be brought under the scope of the Act.
Officials and employees of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and its subordinate departments and organizations, as well as journalists, attended the event.
