Role of the Local Government Institution (LGI), particularly the Union Parishad (UP), is very vital to implement the Right to Information (RTI) Act as the grassroots people are dependent on those for their need-based information.
Apart from this, the LGIs can improve living and livelihood conditions of the villagers, including the marginalized and other vulnerable groups of people, through ensuring free flow of the requisite information.
Public representatives and development activists came up with the observation while addressing the opening session of a daylong training workshop on RTI for public representatives at Hotel Warisan here on Sunday.
Association for Community Development (ACD) hosted the training supported by the Carter Centre under the "Advancing Women's Right of Access to Information in Bangladesh" project. Ensuring responsiveness of the public representatives for providing information in an efficient and equitable manner was the main objective of the workshop. With ACD Executive Director Salima Sarwar in the chair, the inaugural session was addressed by Panel Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation Shariful Islam and Editor of Daily Sonar Desh Akbarul Hassan Millat as the chief and special guests respectively. Rokhsana Afroz from the Carter Centre also spoke.
ACD Director Sharmin Subrina gave an overview of the project along with its objectives and implantation strategy during her concept paper presentation while Project Coordinator Subrata Kumar Paul moderated the discussion.
Sharmin Subrina told the meeting that the project is being implemented in the Ward Number 5 and 6 of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) and Gogram and Matikata Unions of Godagari upazila and Chanduria and Saranjai Unions of Tanore upazila of Rajshahi district.
The project is intended to create an enabling environment where women, especially Dalit and Marginalized are able to enjoy right to information from government and non-government agencies for protecting their fundamental rights.
Former Secretary to the Bangladesh Information Commission Mohibul Hossain and Prof Salma Akter from the Department of Sociology in Dhaka University conducted the training sessions as resource persons.
Shariful Islam said successful implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) act can be the best way of supplementing the government efforts of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Full-length implementation of the RTI act with unhindered flow of information by all government and non-government organisations concerned needs to be ensured for expediting development and ensuring good governance everywhere in the society.
In his remarks, Mohibul Hossain observed that the role of RTI act to achieve the SDGs is very much effective as its basic objective to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all, adding its key commitment is "no one will be left behind".
He said the present government under the prudent and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has adopted diversified steps to attain the goals within stipulated time.
"Implementation of RTI act has become crucial for the sake of establishing good governance in the society and enhancing transparency and accountability in all tiers of public services," he added.
A total of 32 UP Members from Godagari and Tanore Upazilas in the district joined the training workshop.
