Radio Sagor Giri and Sitakund Press Club with the support of YPSA, BNNRC, Free Press Unlimited jointly organized a rally and discussion meeting on “Journalist role on implementation of Right to Information Act” to mark the International Right to Know Day 2013 at Sitakund under Chittagong.
Mr. Jahangir Alam, General Secretary of Sitakund Press Club presided over the meeting. Mr. Shah Sultan Shamim, Station Manager of Radio Sagor Giri presented the keynote on “Journalist role on implementation of Right to Information Act” in the meeting. Journalists from different newspapers, NGO activists participated in the program.
Freedom of Information is the principle that organizations and governments have a duty to share or provide ready access to information they hold, to anyone who wants it, based on the public’s right to be informed.
The right to know is central for upholding other basic rights, for furthering transparency, justice and development. Hand-in-hand with the complementary notion of freedom of expression, it underpins democracy.
Freedom of information can contribute to government openness and accountability, and help prevent and combat corruption, thereby enhancing good governance.
Journalists in the continent continue to face serious challenges including intimidation, arrests, risks of being jailed and even death, in the process of gathering, processing and disseminating information to promote and facilitate people’s right to know.
The journalist should do his/her best to obtain information from all possible sources, to make sure it is complete, truthful and unbiased. Information which may offend or humiliate a person should be checked especially carefully.
The journalist should differentiate between publicly important information and information that evokes public interest.
Journalists could play an important role in creating awareness about the RTI by publishing in-depth and investigative reports using the RTI Act 2009 as a tool for information gathering.
