By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh’s Right to Information Act 2009 came into effect Wednesday, but officials who would enable information to be delivered are yet to be appointed.
Although the act, excepting three of its provisions, was enforced with retrospective effect from April 20, 2008, no information delivery unit has yet been set up in any government office, New Age newspaper said Wednesday.
The information commission is yet to be formed and no set of rules for the effective enforcement of the act has yet been framed in accordance with its provisions.
“We have asked the establishment ministry to appoint officials and employees for the three-member information commission which will be formed within a day or two,” acting information secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury said.
It was mandatory for the authorities concerned to appoint a officer for the “information delivery unit” in each government office within 60 days of the enactment of the act, according to the law enacted April 6.
The law stipulates formation of a three-member information commission within a maximum period of 90 days after enactment of the act.
It keeps out if its purview intelligence agencies including the National Security Intelligence, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, defence intelligence units and the Criminal Investigation Department of the police.
If any official refuses to provide information, individuals can file appeals with the information commission. The official concerned, if found guilty, may be penalised from 50 Taka for every day of delay, but the total sum shall not exceed 5,000 Taka ($83).