Improving transparency through Right to Information and e-Governance: a Bangladesh Perspective.

Abstract

Openness and transparency are the basic properties of any democratic government. Government agencies are no longer expected to hide under the cloaks of secrecies. People want to know more about the activities of their government who is supposed to represent them in running the state. Bangladesh is deeply submerged in corruption and maladministration because the government does not have to account for its activities to the people. The experience in other countries has suggested that this scenario can be changed by empowering people with right to information or freedom of information and also by introducing information and communication technology in every sector of government. The use of information and communication technology in the day to day process of government allow easy and fast access to government services and promote transparency and efficiency. Access to information by general people and e-Governance could also be seen as ways of fighting corruption stemmed in secrecy and inefficiency. In this paper I have discussed two important strategies for improving transparency and accountability in Bangladesh namely right to information and e-Governance. I have also attempted to identify the difficulties and challenges in implementing right to information and e-Governance in Bangladesh.