Move to create awareness on RTI

Information Commission and Grameenphone are searching for ways to utilise the vast clientele of mobile phones for awareness building on Rights to Information (RTI) Act 2009, informed Chief Information Commissioner Ambassador (Retd) Muhammad Zamir.
He was addressing the launching ceremony of the book ‘Reproductive Health and Rights to Information’ published by Article 19 Bangladesh in the city’s IDB auditorium yesterday.
He said several options are being mulled including using Grameenphone’s 550 cyber cafés all around the country to disseminate information on RTI Act and its benefits. The likelihood of informative text messages for mobile phone users and voice messages for those who cannot read are also being discussed, he added.
He said Grameenphone promised to help out the commission as a part of their corporate social responsibility program.
The chief commissioner also spelled out certain challenges that are currently hindering the implementation of the RTI Act. He said, “One of the major challenge is the mind set up of our bureaucrats who are not open to the idea of providing information.”
He suggested amending the RTI Act in order to include responsibilities of corporate houses that are not covered by the law directly.
The chief commissioner also pointed out that record keeping is very poor in Bangladesh. There is an urgent need for keeping records digitally, he said.
Other speakers at the ceremony stressed that all men and women must have up to date and accurate information regarding reproductive health: the type of services available, where they are offered, their rights to privacy, citizen’s charter of different health service providers and where to complain.
Aimed at campaigners of rights to information, the book highlights the necessity of access to information on reproductive and sexual health. The 35-page book also identifies a number of obstacles in attaining access to information in the area.
Dr. Hameeda Hossain, executive director of Ain O Shalish Kendra said reproductive and sexual health is one of the most tabooed areas in the country where very little information is available especially to women and adolescents.
The book broke the silence existing in the area and should be circulated properly especially targeting educational institutions, she added.
A documentary film made by Mass-Line Media Centre (MMC) on the issue was also premiered after the discussion.
Tahmina Rahman, country director of Article 19 Bangladesh, Prof Sadeka Halim, information commissioner, Prof AKM Nurrun Nabi, founder chair of Population Sciences Department, DU, Kamrul Hassan Monju, executive director of MMC, Nasimun Ara Haque, president of Nari Sangbadik Kendra and senior journalist Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury spoke at the event.

Courtesy of The Daily Star