DHAKA, Sept 27, 2024 (BSS)-President Mohammed Shahabuddin today urged the information commission and other public and private organizations to take more initiative to make people aware about the Right to Information Act (RTI) for its proper execution.

In a message marking the 'International Right to Information Day-2024 the President hoped that peoples empowerment on the government and social institutions would be strengthen through united efforts of all to remove the existing barriers on implementing the act.

To ensure the free flow of information, like other countries in the world, the President expressed his satisfaction over the celebrating the ‘International Information Rights Day-2024’ tomorrow. 

President Shahabuddin said it is people’s democratic right to know and get information as information makes people aware and helps them to take right decisions.

Referring to the Article 39 of the Bangladesh Constitution that gave the guarantee of freedom of thought, speech and conscience, he said, the 'Right to Information Act-2009' was enacted to establish the free flow of information, providing a legal basis for the people to get information.

The President said the law has been made to ensure transparency and accountability in the government, autonomous and statutory bodies as well as the public and foreign funded organizations.

“There is no alternative to ensuring people's right to information to establish good governance and prevent corruption,” the President said.

He said free, accurate and timely disclosure of information will increase awareness among people upholding the public confidence in the state affairs. 

The President said participation of all public and private institutions, electronic and print media and civil society is very important to make people aware of the right to information to ensure the proper implementation of the Right to Information Act.

President Shahabuddin called upon all government and private departments and organizations, including the Information Commission to come forward with a more proactive attitude to reach the benefits of the RTI act at the people's doorsteps.