President asks ICB to be proactive

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Sunday (31 March) said the Information Commission of Bangladesh (ICB) should be proactive in performing its duties.

The president gave the directive when a four-member ICB delegation handed over the "Information Commission's Annual Report 2023" to him at the Bangabhaban.

Chief Information Commissioner Abdul Malek submitted it to the president while information commissioners – Shahidul Alam Zinuk and Masuda Bhatti and ICB Commission Secretary Zubaida Nasreen were present.

President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin briefed reporters after the meeting.

Saying that it is the right of the people to have access to information, he asked the Commission to be aware so that no one is harassed in the process of getting information when necessary.

The chief information commissioner briefed the president about various aspects of the annual report and the overall activities of the ICB.  

Mentioning the role of the Right to Information Act as very important to ensure transparency and accountability of state activities, the President thanked the Information Commission Bangladesh for being elected as an executive member of International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC).

Expressing satisfaction over the overall functioning of the ICB, he hoped that the Information Commission would intensify its activities to ensure the constitutional and fundamental rights of people by carefully removing barriers.

Malek said the commission has received 1.56 lakh information seekers' applications and most of those have been provided so far.

He said the ICB is working continuously to create public awareness at the grassroots level about the Right to Information Act.

He sought the cooperation from the president in doing the overall activities of the ICB.

President's Office Secretary Md Wahidul Islam Khan, Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin and Military Secretary Major General SM Salahuddin Islam were also present there.