RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT AND GOOD GOVERNANCE IN BANGLADESH: A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Including ?Right to Information (RTI)? as a constitutional and legislative right in Bangladesh provides fundamental political principles and establishes the structure, procedures, powers and duties of the government to disseminate necessary information. The right to information is a deep-seated and unquestionable right. Right to information and good governance are intertwined concepts. To strengthen, stabilize and broaden the working of the participatory policy making and democratic system, these concepts are two paths to the same goal. Policy makers should be held accountable for their decisions in order to ensure good governance. Similarly, the right to information and increased levels of transparency serve the public interest by contributing to quality governance. In this regard, Right to Information Act 2009 is considered as a strong mechanism to ensure transparency and accountability of all public, autonomous and statutory organizations in Bangladesh. It is also an effective mechanism to promote good governance and combat corruption in these organizations.