Staff Reporter:
The International Right to Information Day, formally known as the International Day for Universal Ac-cess to Information, was observed in the country yesterday.
The day is being observed with the aim of strengthening people’s right to know, promoting transparency and accountability in government activities and raising public awareness about the Right to Information Act.
Like other countries, Bangladesh is observing the day through various programs.
This year’s theme is ‘Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The role of access to Infor-mation in addressing Information Disorder’, according to UNESCO website.
On the occasion, a discussion was organized at 3pm yesterday at the auditorium of the Information Commission Bangladesh in Agargaon, Dhaka.
Various government and private organizations and mass media have also undertaken publicity activities to create awareness about the theme and the right to information.
An official statement requested electronic media outlets to broadcast the theme message in the form of a scroll.
The day is observed worldwide every year on September 28.
UNESCO’s General Conference proclaimed 28 September as the International Day for Universal Access to Information in 2015.
Later, on October 15, 2019, the United Nations General Assembly recognised September 28 as the “In-ternational Day for Universal Access to Information.”
The right to access information is an important foundation for establishing a transparent, accountable and inclusive society.
Access to reliable information about public services, development projects, budgets, the environment, public health and education helps citizens understand government activities and strengthens accountabil-ity.
In Bangladesh, the Right to Information Act was enacted to ensure citizens’ access to information.
Under the act, citizens can seek information held by government and relevant authorities through pre-scribed procedures.
The Information Commission plays an important role in implementing the act and raising public aware-ness.
