Implementation of Right to Information Act in Bangladesh: Gray Gleams of a Glow

Implementation of Right to Information Act in Bangladesh: Gray Gleams of a Glow By Zannatul Ferdous MPPG 5th Batch Supervisor Dr. Shakil Ahmed Thesis submitted to the Public Policy and Governance (PPG) Program in partial fulfillment for the award of Master in Public Policy and Governance (MPPG) December 2016 DEDICATION To those who sacrificed their lives to ensure people’s right to know. DECLARATION I declare that the dissertation entitled “ Implementation of Right to Information in Bangladesh: Grey Gleams of a Glow.” submitted to the PPG Program of North South University, Bangladesh for the Degree of Master in Public Policy and Governance (MPPG) is an original work of mine. No part of it, in any form, has been copied from other sources without acknowledgement or submitted to any other university or institute for any degree or diploma. Views and expressions of the thesis bear the responsibility of mine with the exclusion of PPG for any errors and omissions to it. Signature with Date Full Name: Zannatul Ferdous ID No.1513365085 II ACKNOWLEDGEMENT To be honest, this thesis is the result of unconditional support and contribution from the heaven and earth. Therefore, it is really an opportunity for me to thank the Omniscient Allah to finish the study timely. It is also a privilege and honor for me to express gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Shakil Ahmed, visiting Assistant Professor of Masters in Public Policy and Governance Program, Assistant Professor of Jangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka for his scholarly guidance in accomplishing the study. Without his logical, timely, educative criticism and precise direction, the study would not have reached such ending. I would like to pass on my special thanks to Professor Dr. Salahuddin M. Aminuzzaman, Advisor of MPPG Program and Professor Dr. SK Tawfiq M. Haque, Director, MPPG Program for their invaluable suggestions, encouragement and others help throughout the study program. I also want to convey my appreciation for Dr. Ishtiaq Jamil and Dr. Md. Mahfuzul Haque for their comments and constructive suggestions, which ultimately added a lot to my research. It will be injustice if I do not offer my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Md. Akram Hossain, Research Associate, MPPG Program, North South University, Dhaka for his earnest contribution in survey questionnaire design and important comments on my research during presentation. I am indebted in many forms to Dr. Khursida Begum, information commissioner of Information Commission and to its librarian Mrs. Asma Akter for their sincere help, time to time, without being annoyed. In addition, my earnest thanks to my sweet opponent, Samjhana Raimajhi, for her suggestive comments. It is really a pleasing opportunity for me to thank Sir, Md. Mustafizur Rahman, Deputy Director, Bangladesh Betar, Dhaka, my colleague Khaleda Parvin, my batch mates of MPPG for their earnest help and encouragement in data collection in Dhaka. It also logical to express my sincere thanks to the Designated officers of Sirajganj Pourashova and Number 2 Bagbati Union Parishad, Information Commission of Bangladesh and many other anonymous while data collection in Sirajganj for their sincere help. Last but not least, my sincere gratitude to my mother, husband and my only child, Shehnan; for their tolerance to my intolerable behavior and providing space from their valuable life to complete the research timely. Zannatul Ferdous III ABSTRACT In the realm of good governance- transparency, accountability, people’s participation and empowerment are buzzwords, yet very relevant and vital as well. Ensuring right to information for every citizen can accumulate all these development demands. Bangladesh, as many countries of the globe have enacted the right to information act in 2009 as a tool to establish transparency and accountability both in the government and non-government institutions to ensure good governance in the country. However, seven years have been passed since the implementation of this act commenced. This study tries to find out how far the law been implemented in accordance to the objectives and goals permeated in the e law to reduce the gap of state-citizen interface. The study also attempts to find out the factors affecting the implementation process of the law to what extent, in which way and how. In this effort, the researcher has undergone a questionnaire survey on 87 the service seekers of a Union Parishad and a Pourashova of Sirajganj District. The aim of was to find out the awareness level of the citizen and their perception on right to information. On the other hand, to realize the attitude and behavior of the supply side at the micro-level, the study has chosen Number 2 Bagbati Union Parishad and Sirajganj Pourashova as unit of analysis and used case study method to serve the purpose. However, the study also taken Information Commission of Bangladesh (ICB) as another unit of analysis to know the role and the process of quasi-judicial function. In addition, ICB is the key implementation structure to conduct awareness campaign to inform both the supply side, demand side and how it coordinates the awareness campaign with its stakeholders. Furthermore, the present study used another unit of analysis Bangladesh Betar, the state-owned radio station of Bangladesh, to understand the political will to disseminate the core message of right to information to persuade the citizen to execute the law since Bangladesh Betar is a representative of the government. Apart from these, the researcher experienced observation and participatory observation while conducting case study and other methods along with content analysis. Therefore, the researcher used both qualitative and quantitative research approaches to understand the research problems thoroughly. However, the study explored that supply side is better informed than the demand side. The unfamiliarity of the demand side with is the vital factor that is hindering the implementation of this law is the outcome of biased, partial thereby confusing, misleading messages with absence of values underlies in right to information broadcasting in the inappropriate media. Consequently, it failed the to put pressure on the supply side, who are not, in fact, taken this law wholeheartedly due to a paradigm shift in the process of power practiced in the traditional organizational culture of Bangladesh characterized with high power distance, nepotism, patron-client relationship, aversion to change, centralization of power and so on. The values of RTI indicate that authorities are a just a trustee of official information, not the owner. The citizens are the real owners. Therefore, the accomplishment of this law will ensure the power transfer from the authority to citizen. In fact, the fear of losing power practice, absence of remuneration for the additional responsibility as a designated officer, the dilemma they face as a mediator between the authority and the citizens, lack of socialization with the RTI values etc. make them discouraged to be spontaneous to implement the law. In addition, the study also offers that as a key implementation structure, ICB is not capable enough to exert its awareness campaign, side by side its quasi-judicial role due to its lack of permanent, neutral, skilled, creative, and knowledgeable on RTI workforce. It also lacks due independence in terms of budget, decision making as well. However, the status of political will in the implementation of RTIA is present in black and white, not in the field. The government has already e promulgates several rules, regulations, directives, strategic plan, and different committees from national level to local level. However, the effectiveness of these attempts is absent in the field due to lack of coordination, monitoring and evaluation. Finally, the researcher concluded the study by recommending the awareness campaign more robust , multi-dimensional with appropriate media since without the participation of demand side the law may gradually, be faded out as a proverb states: out of sight, out of mind. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS: Chapter No. Content Page No Chapter one Introductory Discussion 1-13 1.1 Introduction 01 1.2 Background of the study 02 1.3 Statement of the problem 05 1.4 Objectives 08 1.5 Research Questions 09 1.6 Significance of the study 09 1.7 Rationale of the study 11 1.8 Methodological of the study 11 1.9 Organization of the study 12 1.10 Conclusion 13 Chapter Two Literature Review and Theoretical Discussion 14-35 2.1 Introduction 14 2.2 Literature Review 14 2.2.1 Study on right to information act in international 14 arena 2.2.2 Study on right to information Act in national arena 16 2.3 Theoretical discussion 18 2.3.1 Public policy 19 2.3.2 Policy implementation 19 2.3.3 Approaches to implementation 20 2.3.4 Policy implementation in developing country 21 2.4 Chosen Theory: Winter’s integrated model of policy 23 implementation. 2.4.1 Relevance of this model to the study 29 2.5 Analytical framework 30 2.5.1 Operational definition of the variables 32 2.5.1.1 Operationalization of independent variables: 32 2.5.1.2 Operational definition of the dependent variable 34 2.6 Conclusion 35 Chapter Three An overview of right to information in international and national arena 36-46 3.1 Introduction 36 3.2 Right 36 3.3 Information 36 3.4 Right to information 37 3.5 Historical Background of right to information. 38 3.6 The need for the right to information 39 3.7 Scenario of right to information in international 40 arena 3.8 Right to information in Bangladesh 42 3.8.1 Legal basis of right to information 42 3.8.1.1 Constitution of Bangladesh and RTI 42 3.8.2 International legal framework and RTI in 43 Bangladesh 3.8.3 Right to information act in Bangladesh 43 3.8.4 Uniqueness of RTIA of Bangladesh 45 V Chapter No Content Page No.

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