Published: 09:09 AM, 29 September 2026
How Effective Is People’s Rights to Information Access?
Shafiqul Islam Khokon
We are all familiar with the word “information.” Information refers to knowledge, details, data, or news obtained about a person, subject, event, institution, or object. Simply put, information is the knowledge or details we obtain in order to understand something.
September 28 | International Day for Universal Access to Information
Information is not merely a collection of documents, statistics, or government records. Information is a source of citizens’ power. When a citizen learns how much money has been allocated for the construction of a road in their area, when a project is supposed to be completed, how many people have been recruited by a government institution, or why a particular decision of public interest was taken, they are not merely acquiring information; they are gaining the ability to demand accountability from the state.
This is precisely why September 28 is so important as the International Day for Universal Access to Information. In 2019, the United Nations officially recognized September 28 as the “International Day for Universal Access to Information.” UNESCO has also directly linked access to information with freedom of expression, participation, and accountability.
The issue is not new in Bangladesh either. The Right to Information Act, enacted in 2009, gives citizens the right to obtain information from public authorities. Section 4 of the Act states that every citizen has the right to information and that the concerned authority is obligated to provide information upon request. The law also requires public authorities to make information about their decisions and activities readily accessible to citizens.
On paper, this is a fairly strong legal right. But the question is: how much are citizens actually able to exercise this right in practice? How much does the general public know about it? Do people know which offices they need to approach and what procedures they need to follow to obtain particular information?
The Law Exists, But How Strong Is the Culture of Seeking Information?
One of the greatest potentials of the Right to Information Act is that it establishes citizens not as supplicants asking for information, but as people exercising a legal right.
Yet, in reality, many citizens still feel that when they go to a government office seeking information, they are asking for some kind of special favor. Their understanding of where to submit an application, who the designated information officer is, how many days it should take to receive the information, and where to appeal if the information is not provided remains limited.
Under the law, a request for information may be submitted in writing, electronically, or by email. In ordinary cases, the designated officer is required to provide the information within 20 working days. If multiple units or authorities are involved, the period may extend to 30 working days.
In other words, the mechanism exists. The question is whether this mechanism has become sufficiently simple, familiar, and effective in the daily lives of citizens.
Is Information the Property of Authorities, or a Right of the People?
For a long time, a particular perception has existed within our administrative culture: government information is treated as if it were the property of the office. If a citizen asks for information, it may be provided; if they do not ask, it may remain undisclosed.
The Right to Information Act introduces a different philosophy. Information concerning institutions operated with public funds, projects implemented with taxpayers’ money, and decisions taken in the public interest should not ordinarily be treated as something to be concealed from the people. Rather, except for specific legal exemptions, such information should normally be accessible to the public.
Section 6 of the Act requires authorities to make information about their decisions, activities, and completed or proposed actions readily available to citizens. This means that requiring citizens to submit a separate application for every piece of information is not entirely consistent with the fundamental objective of the law.
This is where the biggest change is needed in terms of good governance: information should not merely be provided after citizens ask for it; necessary information should be proactively disclosed.
What Should You Do If Information Is Not Provided?
The law also provides a mechanism for this. If information is not received within the prescribed period, or if someone is dissatisfied with a decision made by the designated officer, they have the right to appeal. If necessary, there is also a provision for filing a complaint with the Information Commission.
Data published in the annual reports of the Information Commission also show that a significant number of applications, complaints, and disposal proceedings relating to the right to information are taking place. One report of the Commission records the disposal of 36,277 cases. It also identifies various reasons in some cases, including requests for information that did not fall within the scope of the law, applications not being submitted to the appropriate officer, and appeals not being filed.
One important aspect of these statistics is that the right to information is no longer merely a subject for seminars or an issue discussed around a particular observance day. Citizens are actually using the legal framework in practice. At the same time, the figures also indicate that citizens’ knowledge, capacity, and understanding of administrative procedures are extremely important for using the law effectively.
Where Is the Biggest Obstacle?
The problem is not limited simply to the failure to provide information. Often, citizens do not even know that particular information exists. Unless it is clear what information a particular government office holds, who is responsible for providing it, and what information the authority is required to disclose regularly, the right to information may remain weak in practice even if it exists on paper.
Another issue is the language of information. Suppose hundreds of pages of documents are uploaded to a government website. If ordinary people cannot understand what those documents contain or how they are relevant to them, to what extent can that be considered effective disclosure of information?
Therefore, the usability of information must be considered alongside its disclosure.
Publishing the budget of a project alone is not enough. Information such as the amount allocated, the amount spent, the progress of the work, the identity of the contractor, and the duration of the project should be published regularly, in simple language, and in a searchable format. Only then can information truly become useful to the public.
The Question on Information Rights Day Is Therefore Somewhere Else
Today is September 28. There will be meetings, discussions, seminars, and banners and posters carrying messages about the right to information. These activities are necessary.
But the most important questions on this day should be:
Can an ordinary citizen go to a government office and ask for information without fear or hesitation? Do they know what legal steps they can take if the information is not provided? Do they know who the designated information officer is? Can they easily find online information that should be available without requiring a separate application?
And most importantly:
Does a citizen feel that asking for information could expose them to harassment or unnecessary complications? The answers to these questions will tell us how much of the right exists in law and how much of it citizens actually possess in practice.
Rights Must Not Exist Only on Paper
Three areas require change to ensure the effective implementation of the right to information. First, proactive disclosure of information must be increased. The budgets, procurement activities, projects, decisions, staffing, services, and expenditures of institutions operated with public funds should be disclosed regularly and in an understandable format.
Second, the process of requesting information must be made easier. A farmer in a village, a student, a journalist, or an ordinary citizen should not have to depend on complicated administrative language or procedures simply to request information.
Third, the culture of reluctance to provide information must change. Instead of a tendency to conceal information, a culture of disclosure should become the normal administrative practice of government institutions.
Because the right to information is not a right belonging to any particular class. It is as important to a journalist as it is to a farmer; as important to a researcher as it is to a student or a local citizen.
Internationally, the 2024 observance of the International Day for Universal Access to Information also placed emphasis on institutionalizing the right to information as part of the public sector. UNESCO has stated that mainstreaming the right to information within the organizational systems and culture of public institutions is one of the key objectives for achieving meaningful progress.
Conclusion
On Information Rights Day, therefore, it is not enough to ask only: “Does the right to information exist?” We already know the answer: yes. Bangladesh has a Right to Information Act, an Information Commission, provisions for requesting information, and mechanisms for appeals and complaints. The real question now is: How easily, how safely, and how effectively can this right actually be exercised? In a democratic state, providing information to citizens does not mean reducing the power of the state. Rather, it can strengthen public trust in the state.
Because rumors are born in darkness, and suspicion grows. In the light, questions emerge. And a state that is accountable for answering those questions can ultimately become a more accountable state. Therefore, the most important message of September 28 could be this: It is not enough to say that the door to information is open; we must ensure that ordinary citizens can actually walk through that door.
Shafiqul Islam Khokon is a
columnist and a researcher.
He can be reached at [email protected]
