Journalists at a discussion meeting on the Right to Information Act yesterday stressed the need for change in the mindset of bureaucrats for smooth implementation of the act. Addressing a views exchange meeting organised by the Information Commission, they also recommended strengthening the Information Commission with proper logistics as well as financial support so that it could ensure the smooth implementation of the RTI.

Former Managing Director of BSS Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury termed the RTI a welcome step and said that the government should concentrate on strengthening it providing more logistics. Chief Information Commissioner Md Azizur Rahman, who presided over the meeting, said that the commission would give due consideration to the recommendations. Hailing the government for the passage of the RTI act in parliament, he said that this was the reflection of the government's sincerity to ensure the people's constitutional right to information. He said that so far around 700 officials of different government department across the country were given the responsibility to provide information under the RTI. However, he said that the commission was facing difficulties in procuring logistics due to the public procurement act.

Editor of Amader Shomoy Naimul Islam Khan said that the provisions of the RTI, which exempted some sectors from the enforcement of the RTI, might cause confusion as many organisation felt that the media could not even write about them due to the RTI. Editor of the daily Bhorer Kagoj Shyamol Dutta said that the draft recommendations made by the media and the civil society on the RTI Act were ignored during the final drafting of the RTI. 'I doubt whether the right to Information Act with the present format can ensure the people's right to have access to information", he said. The New Nation editor, Mostafa Kamal Mazumder, stressed the need for financial independence of the RTI. Journalist Baby Moudud said that the RTI Act could ensure the people's right of getting government services by different departments which would help bring transparency service delivery process. Earlier, Commissioner of the commission Sadeka Halim gave a presentation on the salient features of the RTI Act.

-The Independent